4th of Spring, 519AV,
It had been three days, and while Lani had not forgotten about her copy of the Kontinese Book “Graces and Prayers” that was being held hostage by Kavisan, she did not look at Kavisan’s desk with hope much longer. Still, she could not help a passing glance, just to make sure it wasn’t there, if she could recognize it at least.
”Good morning Kavisan,” She said her usual good morning, and was answered with a half-hearted hrumph like normal. It seems the head librarian may have forgotten about the book. Unable to stop herself, she hesitated, by his desk, watching as mossy green eyes raised to give her an expected, and slightly irritated look.
”Um, do you have the book that I buy?” She asked, unsure if the wording was too direct and would cause offense. The Avora’s face did not change for a few ticks, and then he brought one hand up to wave her away.
”Oh, yeah. I’ll give it to you later.”
”I should pay now… or later?” She asked. She would have to start working, and she didn’t exactly want to be pulling her pinions out at her desk in front of the other Chiet. The head librarian looked up at her lazily.
”Yeah, I guess now would work.” He sighed, almost bored with the exchange. She stood, a little nervous and a little curious as to why he took the copy from her to get bound, when she was perfectly capable of binding it herself. Kavisan moved some things around on his desk for a tick before turning to her. ”Ten pinions.” He said, and Lani was not about to argue with the price, having expected to pay full price for the book anyway. She was digging out the glass coins when he clarified. ”I would have only charged you five for the material, but since you wanted it specially bound, it was another five.”
Lani handed over the pinions quizzically. If she had remembered correctly, which she doubted she had mistaken something that obvious, he has swept through and gathered her copied work once it was complete, before she had a chance to bind it herself. He told her Hirro would bind it, and did not give her an option. She did not fight him, but that didn’t mean she asked for it? Still, Lani was rolling in more coins than anyone in her caste, and so she did not complain, eager to see what work Hirro had done with her book anyway. Kavisan pocketed the coins, and then pushed his chair back, standing and waved her to follow him.
Lani followed Kavisan to the back room, where he pulled an elegant book from the complete shelf, brushing the cover lightly and then showing it to her. Lani raised her eyebrows, seeing that Hirro had worked hard on it. It was not anything particularly extravagant, but it was a tight and neat bind, better than anything she could have done. The leather was undyed and simple, although it had been oiled to a deep brown. On the cover was an elegantly cut title, in Kontinese, with patterns pressed into the indent. Although no other pictures or artwork decorated the bind, it was secured neatly with a buckle, and was overall a very elegant book, if simple.
”Oh wow, this is… beautiful.” She said, instinctively reaching for it. Kavisan did not snatch it from her, but instead redirected her, opening the book using something that was resting inside as a book mark. He held the string bookmark, which did not seem attached to the book, in his hand and then opened the page so Lani could see, pointing to two lines of text.
”You mentioned that you spoke Kontinese? I am assuming you can read it?” He asked, and Lani looked at him earnestly, a slight curiosity pulling her closer to the book now. She nodded in reply, and he continued. ”And here I thought you were too dumb to learn a second language, and it turns out you now know three.” He mused. Four. She inwardly corrected, but didn’t think it was worth interrupting him. She could tell he was gearing up for a question, and she wanted to hear it.
It had been three days, and while Lani had not forgotten about her copy of the Kontinese Book “Graces and Prayers” that was being held hostage by Kavisan, she did not look at Kavisan’s desk with hope much longer. Still, she could not help a passing glance, just to make sure it wasn’t there, if she could recognize it at least.
”Good morning Kavisan,” She said her usual good morning, and was answered with a half-hearted hrumph like normal. It seems the head librarian may have forgotten about the book. Unable to stop herself, she hesitated, by his desk, watching as mossy green eyes raised to give her an expected, and slightly irritated look.
”Um, do you have the book that I buy?” She asked, unsure if the wording was too direct and would cause offense. The Avora’s face did not change for a few ticks, and then he brought one hand up to wave her away.
”Oh, yeah. I’ll give it to you later.”
”I should pay now… or later?” She asked. She would have to start working, and she didn’t exactly want to be pulling her pinions out at her desk in front of the other Chiet. The head librarian looked up at her lazily.
”Yeah, I guess now would work.” He sighed, almost bored with the exchange. She stood, a little nervous and a little curious as to why he took the copy from her to get bound, when she was perfectly capable of binding it herself. Kavisan moved some things around on his desk for a tick before turning to her. ”Ten pinions.” He said, and Lani was not about to argue with the price, having expected to pay full price for the book anyway. She was digging out the glass coins when he clarified. ”I would have only charged you five for the material, but since you wanted it specially bound, it was another five.”
Lani handed over the pinions quizzically. If she had remembered correctly, which she doubted she had mistaken something that obvious, he has swept through and gathered her copied work once it was complete, before she had a chance to bind it herself. He told her Hirro would bind it, and did not give her an option. She did not fight him, but that didn’t mean she asked for it? Still, Lani was rolling in more coins than anyone in her caste, and so she did not complain, eager to see what work Hirro had done with her book anyway. Kavisan pocketed the coins, and then pushed his chair back, standing and waved her to follow him.
Lani followed Kavisan to the back room, where he pulled an elegant book from the complete shelf, brushing the cover lightly and then showing it to her. Lani raised her eyebrows, seeing that Hirro had worked hard on it. It was not anything particularly extravagant, but it was a tight and neat bind, better than anything she could have done. The leather was undyed and simple, although it had been oiled to a deep brown. On the cover was an elegantly cut title, in Kontinese, with patterns pressed into the indent. Although no other pictures or artwork decorated the bind, it was secured neatly with a buckle, and was overall a very elegant book, if simple.
”Oh wow, this is… beautiful.” She said, instinctively reaching for it. Kavisan did not snatch it from her, but instead redirected her, opening the book using something that was resting inside as a book mark. He held the string bookmark, which did not seem attached to the book, in his hand and then opened the page so Lani could see, pointing to two lines of text.
”You mentioned that you spoke Kontinese? I am assuming you can read it?” He asked, and Lani looked at him earnestly, a slight curiosity pulling her closer to the book now. She nodded in reply, and he continued. ”And here I thought you were too dumb to learn a second language, and it turns out you now know three.” He mused. Four. She inwardly corrected, but didn’t think it was worth interrupting him. She could tell he was gearing up for a question, and she wanted to hear it.