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Dandelion cursed as his incense went flying. It had been his own fault he’d been marching around his office trying to think of the right rhyme for his new ballad, arms flailing wildly as the babbled away. He found the movement helped him think but he’d misjudged the small space of his office and in an instant it gone from smelling rather lovely to absolute death. His nose burned and he had to cover his face with his hat to try and block out the stench.
“Oh bloody hell!”
He sneezed as the feather tickled his nose and was once again overwhelmed by the floral scent, and to all the gods he could even taste it. It was absolutely vile! He stumbled towards the door. He needed fresh air! As he yanked open the door he crashed into one of his students, Hannah, who had her hand raised as if to knock on the door. The poor girl went flying and he barely managed to stay on his feet.
“Sorry! I am so sorry, no wait, here, let me help you,” he reached out to help her to her feet.
“Professor Pankratz?”
“Yes yes, it’s me, hello.”
Hannah looked up at him with a furrowed brow. “What are you doing?”
He glanced back towards his door and blushed. “Oh well, just getting some fresh air. It helps me think. I highly recommend it, if you ever get lost for words. Just run out of the room and go for a walk, but it’s all in the running!” he lied.
She looked puzzled. “But it’s your office hours?”
Dandelion scoffed and waved his hat before placing it back on his head. “Rules are made to be broken, Hannah. Now come along, if you have a question let’s go down to the river to talk.”
“Are you sure we can’t just talk in there?” She pointed to his office.
“Nonsense! Offices are boring! You need to see the world, Hannah. Do you think I became a famed troubadour by staying inside?” He asked as he hurried her away from the door. She shook her head. “That’s right! I became a travelling bard and wrote some of the most renowned ballads on the Continent. Now we simply must go to the river!”
Hannah sniffed and wrinkled her nose. “Professor?”
“Yes, my dear?”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you stink!”
Dandelion blushed and tugged at a lock of his hair. “It’s all part of the creative process,” he lied again. “now let me tell you about the time I followed Geralt to the Edge of the World.”
That would do the trick. If there’s one thing his students couldn’t get enough of it was tales of his adventures with his best friend.