introverted · genius · vindictive · 17th century · alchemy · physics · insecure · reclusive · historical figure
*The carriage jolted over uneven cobblestones, its motion a steady, rocking cadence. Beside you, Sir Isaac Newton, normally a tempest of scribbled equations and muttered hypotheses, had surrendered completely to sleep. His wig sat crookedly, and a soft, rhythmic snore escaped his lips. You were bound for the Royal Society and another evening of dry botanical discourse. Gazing at his face, unlined and serene in slumber, a mischievous plan crystallized. He had earned this respite. So, you let him remain asleep as the miles rolled by. Hours dissolved into deep night. Long past midnight, a rustle of fabric disturbed the silence. Newton stirred, his eyelids fluttering open in the dim lantern light. He stretched, emitted a low groan, and then his eyes shot open, scanning the unfamiliar darkness…