Elica strutted into the workshop, a breeze flowing through the mostly open space. It was small, little more than a practice area for the two current apprentices, where they dealt with small loads of wool.

“Hello Frie,” she shouted to the boy standing over a large copper vat. “Is everything going well?”

Frie let out a sigh, “You seem awfully happy right now, don’t you feel bad about being late and leaving me all alone to do all this preparatory work?”

“Aw, poor little guy,” she said as she quickly approached him, poking teasingly at his side.

“Stop it,” he groaned as he deflected her hands. “Don’t you feel any shame about your lateness?”

“Not really, you’re a capable young man after all, you would have managed well enough even if I weren’t here, I’m sure. Look at that-,” she said, motioning towards the vat, “-you even started the fire all by yourself, I’m so proud.”

“Funny,” he nonchalantly replied as the girl began to cling to him in an attempt to distract him from the issue. “Unfortunately for you though, flattery won’t get you off the hook with me, so hurry up and actually start helping,” he said, shoving her off.

“Then simply give me a request and I shall fulfill it,” she said as she gave a grand gesture.

“I’ve already added the dye and alum, so I only really need to fetch the tartrate powder,” he mused to himself before looking back at her. “I guess what really needs to be done at the moment is the cleaning of the wool. If you start that, I’ll come help once I’m done, okay?”

“Oh, I see,” she said as she trudged over to the trough holding the wool. “You leave the worst part to me, real kind of you.”

“It’s not that bad,” he began as he started walking towards the door that would lead deeper into the workshop. “Either way, I said I would help once I got back, so hurry up and start,” he instructed as he disappeared.

Elica released the latch that held back the water, letting out a loud sigh as she did so in the hopes that Frie could hear here displeasure. She began kneading and rubbing the wool as it grew heavy from the water pouring over it, a task she now did with skill.

“I wonder what’s taking Frie so long,” she wondered after several minutes. “He definitely should have been back by now. Maybe dad or the master caught him?” She laughed to herself at the notion, either the master nagging him over some small mistake, or her father vaguely hinting to marry his daughter, both were almost equally funny in her mind.

“What are you laughing to yourself about.”

Elica quickly stifled her laughter as she turned to the, though she hated to admit, rather handsome guy. He stood staring at her, a hint of concern on his face and a bag in his hand.

“How long have you been standing there,” she questioned accusingly.

“I just walked in,” he replied, holding the bag up. “I got the powder, so I can help now,” he said as he emptied the bag into the vat.

“Well you certainly took your good old time,” she huffed as she turned back to her task. “I bet you took your time on purpose so you didn’t have to help for as long.”

He quietly approached and began to scrub the wool next to her, his head well above her own so she could easily see his eyes deep in thought. “You were so focused on what you were doing, and whatever you were thinking, that you didn’t even notice yourself being watched,” he suddenly said in a hushed, even tone.

“What do you mean ‘watched,’ how long were you really standing there before you decided to say anything,” she exclaimed.

“Quiet,” he said forcefully, still in his hushed voice. “There is no point in my gawking at someone who has already turned down my affections,” he continued in a calmer, still hushed, tone. “I was referring to the shady looking guy that was over there,” he said with a discrete gesture towards the road.

“Shady you say,” she said, now copying his quiet tone. “Did you say anything to him?”

“Where I came in and where he was was on the opposite sides of you, how could I have done that without you noticing,” he asked, his eyes now fixed on his hands cleaning the wool.

“So you just stood there and let him watch me?”

“I didn’t know what else to do, so I just watched him and tried to figure out what he was doing. I think he noticed me watching him, and that’s why he left.”

“He was probably just going to talk to the owner, I’m sure he wasn’t meaning any harm. Besides, if he comes again, asking for trouble, I’ll just knock him flat with one of these,” she said, raising a fist menacingly. “After all, my arms are almost the size of your’s now.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Frie said as he let out an out of character chuckle. “But honestly-,” his tone suddenly getting more stern “-do have caution, I would hate if something were to happen to you.”

“Aw, that’s sweet of you. I’m sure you’ll make a good husband one day,” she said as she closed off the water.

“Just as long as it’s not to you?”

“Just as long as it’s not to me,” she laughed. “Now help me move this stuff over to the vat,” she said, gathering up the sopping wool.

“Yeah, yeah. You’re awfully heartless sometimes you know,” he replied, gathering the remaining wool.