Chapter Text
𝓘 𝓶𝓪𝔂 𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓸𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝔂 𝓘𝓰𝓸𝓻.
𝓘 𝓫𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓮𝓿𝓮 𝓘 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝔀𝓻𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓶𝔂 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷,
𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓼𝓮𝓮𝓴 𝓽𝓸 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓹𝓮𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮.
That was what a part of the Dr's letter had said.
The first creation, had failed. Igor had seen it, the attempt to create life. He'd assisted the man who had the theory.
As a manservant, he'd held his tongue and just did as told when it came to the deceased limbs and nerve endings that controlled movement. He was a smart young man, and grateful for his hunch being fixed. It had been a large abscess that needed draining. These days now he stood upright. Walked like any man. He was interested in science, read whatever he could. Understood anatomy well. A fast learner.
His encounter with Baron Fankenstein had been some time ago on the discussion about the very same topic at Ingolstadt, his assisting the man who had an experiment somewhat in the process. Victor was close to Professor Waldman and decides to create life to cheat death, Waldman advised him that he should not try this experiment, since the result would be an abomination. After Professor Waldman's passing, Victor took his notes, set about his own experiment to create life. Professor Walford's notes assisting his own research to further the theory and eventually become reality.
With the Professor deceased, Igor followed Victor at his call. He'd sought Igor out, noting he'd witnessed him around, inquired if he knew of the experiments. Igor had confessed he did, and had obtained whatever was needed. When asked if he would do so again, serve for the sake of furthering science. He'd agreed. Becoming manservant to Victor, travelling with him when he returned home.
Then in his laboratory, funded by arms merchant Henrich Harlander, who'd been impressed by his presentation of theories he'd overheard once, and offered Victor unlimited funding and a tower where he'd be unbothered and could conduct his work.
Victor had deemed the creature, a failure. It walked, moved, observed, but didn't speak. Igor had seen that for himself. When Victor chose to set fire to the place, it was deemed destroyed for good. No remains found.
Baron Frankenstein abandoned the attempt. And had let Igor go, giving him a sum of money as thanks for serving loyally.
And for some time, Igor had a life of his own in the town.
Settled as a tutor. Teaching what he had learned and sharing small creations of his own for the children he taught.
Then the letter had come. Knew what went wrong? From the wording it seemed as if, the experiment were to be tried again.
If so then, it brought a feeling of intrigue, as well as unease. Igor adored the sciences, but after what he'd witnessed, surely enough to shake anyone.
More bodies, more seeking graves and carcasses most likely.
He'd wondered if he would indeed be called for again.
And he was.
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭
"This one will be smaller. More...manageable, a precaution if by some chance this one also is to fail."
Victor was saying whilst laying out the notes on the table between them, had sent for Igor to come to the estate.
"I understand Dr. And as before, I will do again. But, if I may....why return to this? I assumed you had given up on all this." Igor observed the other man as he spoke.
Victor sighed, running a hand over his hair. "I hadn't. It has plagued me these years Igor. It is possible to reanimate a corpse, but what went wrong? Why would it not be as it should? While I have not actively returned to the work I have pondered the question. And sought to perfect it and I believe I have found it. Just, need to begin with a younger mind as well, one to shape, one to teach. Perhaps it needs to be taught."
Igor looked to the notes again, the Dr's journal had been in the fire, but clearly he had not forgotten everything from before. "Then, a child?"
"In a manner of speaking, hence the smaller size. Should this one act out, easier to restrain. It needs to be taught." Victor answered.
Igor swallowed, the thought of it was a little...unsettling. But intrigue won, he would be there. Again, for the Dr. Again, for science.