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Post by eleisiakhartou on Feb 4, 2006 23:57:12 GMT -5
eleisia ran her fingers over the gilt edge of an enormous leather-bound tome, tilting it to remove it from the shelf. Dust swirled upward, rising in the still air and tickling her nose. Lovingly, she set the heavy book down on the floor, and slid her fingers over the embossed cover.
The book was a handwritten journal, the results of the intensive study of a second son. Not every child is destined for the crown, and Gurodu Karador had been happiest in his private solar, examining his plants and keeping far from war, responsibility, and the trappings of royalty.
The herbal would require some care; restoring it would take time. When it was finished, she would place it high out of reach in Kailyn's favorite section. She settled behind her desk, drawing her robes about her as she sat cross-legged on the floor.
She was much more comfortable without the spacious desk, and only sat at it when she felt an uncertain consciousness enter the library's quiet halls. For the most part, regular visitors were eased by the vacant desk, anyway, assuming, albeit incorrectly, that no one was observing their choices.
Three minutes and four pages later, she was entranced by the spidery line drawings of the herbal, reading rather than restoring: an occupational hazard.
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Post by fyrhtu on Feb 5, 2006 0:12:23 GMT -5
Fyrhtu examined the young woman sitting on the floor, reading a large handwritten volume that appeared a diary of sorts. She guessed the woman was the librarian and sat in a chair near by, taking care not to disturb her. The library was a peaceful place and she didn't want to disrupt it by shocking someone with her red, devilish eyes or dark skin.
One of Fyrhtu's favorite hobbies was simply watching people when they were not aware they were being watched. Of course, she had to be careful or she would stare too hard and transfer thoughts or emotions to her examinee.
This girl was especially fun to watch. her face unconciously changed as she read the journal, from knowing to surprised to smiling to saddened all in the span of five minutes.
Sitting on the floor, she looked as if she were in the place she belonged, comfortable and natural. Fyrhtu suddenly found herself wishing she could be as comfortable as the girl, and landing surprisingly on the floor with a loud thump.
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Post by eleisiakhartou on Feb 5, 2006 1:04:14 GMT -5
eleisia turned the page, unconcerned. she laid a hand on the floor beside her, and allowed a measure of healing energy to congeal in the centre of her palm, gathered both from the rich earth beneath and from her own power. Flexing her fingers against the thick carpet, she allowed the energy to spread in a silent arrow to the landing place of the odd watcher.
Continuing to read, she felt her elbow buckle just a little as the energy discharge completed, and switched her weight to the other side.
"Are you all right?"
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Post by fyrhtu on Feb 5, 2006 3:12:10 GMT -5
"Yes, I am. I just... Um, I fell out of my chair?" Fyrhtu answered weakly. Really, she wasn't sure what had happened. She hadn't fallen out of her chair, but she wasn't sure how she got there, either.
The young woman's elbow buckled and Fyrhtu's aching backside felt much better. Some sort of sorceress, Fyrhtu guessed, Or perhaps she just has healing powers? Not feeling up to deciding what sort of magic the young librarian possesed, Fyrhtu rose to a standing position and meandered over toward the shelves, feeling embarrassed.
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Post by eleisiakhartou on Feb 5, 2006 3:17:09 GMT -5
A strand of worry crossed the quiet librarian's mind, and her face reflected an equal care. She rose on silent feet, leaving the book behind, and followed the young visitor.
She tripped her fingertips against the fabric and leather bindings of a few books so as not to surprise the girl, then spoke gently, infusing her words with a spreading calm.
"May I help you?"
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Post by fyrhtu on Feb 5, 2006 11:56:08 GMT -5
Fyrhtu thought breifly as to whether she could trust this woman with her secret, and decided it best to lie.
"Yes, I think you can. I recently heard a story from one of the vandors in the market about Unchaineds. I was curious, and though to come here to research them further," she explained, amazed further still by her ability to think up lies so quickly.
She turned to the librarian and then hastily turned away, remembering her satanic eyes and not wishing to scare the young woman. She was, after all, a chance at help for Fyrhtu.
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Post by eleisiakhartou on Feb 5, 2006 18:58:34 GMT -5
Kind brown eyes rested gently on the girl. Her secretive motions and hesitant body language did not gel with the sense of innate power that permeated her being.
elesia took a deep breath, then turned away from the gaze of the girl's odd eyes. Fear might have been advisable, but elesia had never been one to worry about genetic differences.
"Come this way." elesia walked away from the girl, indicated that she should wait at the desk, and walked towards the enormous library windows. From a shelf facing into the bright, late-morning sunlight, she removed several books. The dimmer light near the desk might be more convenable. She made a stack of the volumes in her arms, using her chin to balance them, and brought them to her desk.
"Here's a start. I'll be here should you need anything else."
elesia's legs folded beneath her, at once dignified and juvenile, and she reentered the world of her herbal, nearly ignoring the girl at her desk.
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Post by fyrhtu on Feb 5, 2006 20:54:02 GMT -5
Fyrhtu accepted the books from the librarian and sat at her desk. The girl reseated her self with her book and instantly became one with it. Fyrhtu opened the first book and found Unchaineds in the table of contents. She flipped to the page mentioned and began researching the history of her people, delving into the book. She held back gasps at some of the content, amazed that her kind had been through.
One thing confused her, though: the book stated that Unchaineds could only be created by Necromancers. Her parents had given birth to her, though. Hadn't they?
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Post by eleisiakhartou on Feb 5, 2006 21:12:07 GMT -5
Confusion and shock alternated in waves, and eleisia found the strange girl's emotions drawing her in. Concentration on the number of spines on a trigtois leaf seemed unimportant in comparison to the intent research going on next to her.
Two conflicting instincts battled each other within the shadows of her mind, and she made her decision hesitatingly: she would pry. Gently, and kindly, but she was going to be nosy nonetheless.
Rising to hover behind her guest, eleisia laid a hand on the back of the chair. "Is there some specific thing you're looking to find out about the Unchained?"
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Post by Otho Sarus on Feb 5, 2006 21:23:42 GMT -5
A low muttering could be heard from beyond the towering shelves, behind the many rows of ancient leather bound and handwritten tomes, and finally behind a large, cluttered desk covered with many books of all shapes, sizes and colours ranging from ancient history to astrology. "damned people," The voice muttered, "I'll find somewhere else more darned quiet to study," The grumblings continued, rising over the large pile of books and out into the library proper. "Shut up old man" Another voice came from further back, behind yet more shelves. There was a dull thud as a book snapped shut, and an old, grey haired head peered over the top of the mountain of literature. The old mans face was careworn and deeply lined with age and sported a close trimmed grey beard. A pair of crooked half moon spectacles sat upon the end of his nose, and the old man gazed out from behind them with deep purple eyes that matched the colour of his cloak. He peered around for the source of the remark, his head moving quickly and his nose twitching in an almost animal like fashion. slowly, a sly grin spread across his face, and he waved a hand in the direction of the human biology section. There was a loud thud, then another. A curse word began to form in the mouth of Otho's victim, but it was cut short by many more dull thuds, as what appeared to be the contents of an entire shelf came crashing down on a very unfortunate head. "That'll teach you to respect your elders," Otho mumbled as he bent back down to his book, his head disappearing behind the pile of discarded books once more. Otho was in truth, any librarian's nightmare.
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Post by eleisiakhartou on Feb 5, 2006 21:56:53 GMT -5
eleisia rolled her eyes at the grumblings of the old codger. He wasn't ever terribly polite, but she didn't mind. His mistreatment of her precious books was high on her list of pet peeves, but he seemed to do it more for show than anything else. As long as the volumes weren't harmed, she had no problem with his annoyed tantrums.
The ancient were to be permitted their idiosyncracies.
Still, she'd be hanged if she was going to let the pile grow: The odd girl was ensconced in the desk chair, her red eyes greedily absorbing the ancient legends. She picked up her own giant tome and placed it on a book trolley, then wheeled it over to the jumble of leather and paper and began delicately sorting.
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Continuing to right the mess that had been created by a cantankerous temper, eleisia stumbled upon a slim volume. "Caught Between-- The Lonely Life of the Unchained"... Looking around the stacks at the studious tilt of a dark head, she opened the book. After having smoothed the ruffled pages, she brought the book to the desk. The girl was absorbed, so she broke in gingerly.
"Excuse me."
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Post by fyrhtu on Feb 6, 2006 0:59:03 GMT -5
When the gates to Hell were sealed, the Necromancers locked inside, many of the Unchaineds disappeared. But, to this day, there are three who walk the earth, three of this--
Fyrhtu started and gasped as the young woman interrupted her in the careful research she was performing. She turned toward the girl, half-annoyed that she'd been torn from her studies, and saw the girl simply had another book to present to her. She accpeted it gratefully, and suddenly noticed the pile of books over near the shelves.
The old man from the Entrance Hall was standing over them, grumbling something that was incoherent to Fyrhtu's ears. The librarian had obviously just come from the large stack, and Fyrhtu guessed she was resorting them onto the shelves.
"Do you need help with that?" Fyrhtu asked in an uncharacteristic show of kindness. She mentally slapped herself; She needed to get back home to Fæger, her young sister, and help her adjust. She was only one year old, and a vampire child at that.
But she suddenly really wanted to help this woman. She'd been so kind to Fyrhtu, not commenting on her eyes (as many villiagers had) or asking as to why she wanted to research such a dark subject. And she had no idea who Fyrhtu was, no reason to be nice, but she was anyway.
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Post by eleisiakhartou on Feb 6, 2006 2:11:36 GMT -5
The girl was ever so studious, and there were days' worth of books here for her. eleisia sensed the immediate regret the girl held, and had no wish to keep her here. The company was nice, but solitude was habitual, and it really wasn't a stranger's place to handle the ancient knowledge of Karador. It was just a job to most, but eleisia viewed it as something of a sacred trust.
Smiling, she said, "My work for me, and yours for you. But you're welcome to come and sit at my desk anytime. I don't particularly like to sit there, anyway."
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Post by fyrhtu on Feb 6, 2006 18:29:42 GMT -5
"Well, thank you, miss," Fyrhtu answered politely. "I'm so glads to have some nice people here in Karador. Most of teh villagers have gone out of their ways to be rude to me."
She smiled sadly at the girl. It was true; Fæger and herself had been discrimatinated against simply because of their peculiarness. Fyrhtu for her eyes, and Fæger for her inability to be out in the sun.
Fyrhtu pulled from her thoughts to see the young woman still beside the desk.
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Post by eleisiakhartou on Feb 6, 2006 21:25:44 GMT -5
eleisia smiled softly. "Well, if you're planning to be in Karador for a while... I am called eleisia khartou. I am here nearly all the time."
Curiosity made eleisia's sentence nearly a question, but she quelled the desire to pry. If the girl wanted to tell her more, she would.
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