Ava Golde asked Kevin Sands:

As is seen throughout the series, Master Benedict is highly secretive and speaks little of his own past. Could you shed some light on his character, such as his own childhood, family, and time as an apprentice? How did he meet Marin Chastellain, and did he ever correspond with Lord Walsingham? How about his relationships to each of his own apprentices, such as Hugh Coggshall, who is mentioned to be a close friend?

Kevin Sands He wouldn't like me to reveal too much...but I can say he grew up in quite a wealthy family, son of a merchant, who made his fortune importing spices. His father, who was already a distant man, grew even more distant as young Benedict showed absolutely no interest in becoming a trader. It strained their relationship to the point that even Benedict's two brothers were cool toward him, which would continue for the rest of their lives.

Benedict's brilliance, however, was obvious from an early age, and his father, in a sort of dismissal gift, paid for an apprenticeship in the Apothecaries' Guild, which is what Benedict was set on becoming. He was a dedicated, studious, and caring apprentice, though he could be awfully prickly, never one to suffer fools gladly. That, combined with his solitary nature, meant the few friends Benedict did make tended to be a little bit older—Isaac being a perfect example.

He met Marin during an early trip to France, when he was still a journeyman apothecary; he traveled extensively before becoming a master. Benedict’s master in Paris had Marin as a client, and as Benedict treated him, Marin recognized a kindred spirit in uncovering secrets and conspiracies. Their friendship grew out of that.

Benedict treated all his apprentices the same as he treated Christopher, with kindness and attention, but expecting hard work and a lot of study. Hugh was the only apprentice to survive to adulthood still working under Benedict, at which point Benedict recruited him into their secret alchemist group. Over time, they, too, became friends.

Though his alchemy work was secret, it was well-known that Benedict was brilliant and skilled at codes and ciphers. Walsingham learned of his reputation and asked if he’d be willing to assist with codebreaking from time to time, which Benedict agreed to. Sending letters and codes back and forth was the extent of their relationship.

flag