Flashback [Memorial Library] Honesty is the First Chapter (Nira)

[Sybel]

24th of Spring, 510 AV

Gulls cried their cacophonous melodies, pulled to and fro by the merciless gusts of the coast. Chatter was the murmuring backdrop to Zeltiva, boasting a population of at least twenty thousand. Bodies littered each street and byway, jostling for position to wherever they were headed next. As Sybel moved along with the crowds, she was fascinated. It was a truly unique setting. Not even Endrykas could compare to the endless movement that seemed to exist midday in Zeltiva. The locomotion of the crowds mobbing each location almost compelled you to move alongside, even when you endeavored to stay still. Of course, even the busiest of cities had their refuges. There had been a specific purpose for Sybel to visit, not her usual sort of errant wandering. For as long as she had been reading, she knew this city in particular was home to the greatest hub of information in all of Mizahar – the Wright Memorial Library. Her heart was alight with nervous excitement. How big could it truly be? The imagined size had diminished greatly with age, but Sybel still pictured it as some towering monument to Eyris, packed solid with leatherbound tomes and mahogany tables. Ever since she was a small child, Sybel had a predilection for comprehension. Not necessarily knowledge, or even specifically books, but rather the act of learning. Being competent at even the most inane tasks made her happy. It lent a sense of worthiness to the things she would do and helped her develop pride in herself. Little did she know how that would come to serve her later in life. These ideas bobbed around in her abstracted brain as she mindlessly navigated the other citizens. The building was actually part of the University itself, so it wouldn’t require much effort to locate it. Sybel had some vague idea to its whereabouts. It was simply a matter of finding the entrance and gaining admittance… If you had to do such a thing. She literally had no concept for a giant library. It just wasn’t something she had ever seen before. After a long walk and a lot of inquiring, she rounded on the front of the cathedral-like structure. A low whistle emanated from her lips. It was nearly involuntary. The size was unlike anything she had imagined and that was just the outside. Steeling herself to the shock she was likely about to experience, she opened the ornate doors and strode into the warm, ambient interior. Her first assessment of shock was almost a ridiculous understatement. Standing in the midst of the long entrance, she pushed her emerald hood back and gaped at the long rows laid out before her - shelves upon shelves of books, neatly sectioned and nearly endless. There was the crisp smell of parchment and the cloying odor of ink. It the closest to being truly overwhelmed she’d ever felt, second only to her introduction with the Suvan Sea. The little girl in her seized control and went into gleeful hysterics. Physically still stiff with bewilderment, she moved slowly forward. Where to begin? That question was all-consuming and almost as overwhelming as the library itself. If ever she had asked the question: “What is the very thing I’d want to learn about the most in the entire world?” Here would be the place to answer it. Only she had not even an inkling what it would be. Sybel wasn’t even remotely prepared for this adventure. Her eyes scanned subject categories, floating between the various shelves on the right side. The economics section was enticing, but the subject matter stale. There was a whole section on empathy which was endlessly fascinating, but a little far afield for her tastes. A burgundy tome with gilded lettering flashed in the side of her vision, luring her in from across a row. “Environment and Entropy: Djed in the Post-Valterrian World,” it was titled. That was right up her alley. What a enticing subject, and one she knew little to nothing about… Ovek be good, someone was going to have to drag her out of the building. As she blindly reached for it, her hand was brushed by another hand, seeking the same end. She’d been so focused on the book, she had developed some perverse sense of tunnel vision. Feeling incredibly rude, she stepped away. “I’m sorry.” She whispered apologetically, turning to face the person she’d just bumped into.

[Nira'lia]

Books, books, and more books. Nira’lia absolutely loved the library. On her free days, this was usually the place she could be found in. The Konti wasn’t a student of the University but that didn’t stop her from visiting the campus and taking advantage of their resources. On most days she studied up on medicine and plants, but today, she felt like reading about topics that she wasn’t usually accustomed to. Simply because she just felt like it was a good day for something new. Soon enough, she had a thick book tucked under her arm. It was about the Northern cities, all of which she had never travelled to. And then there was another book staring right at her. The title itself had complicated words, and she knew it would be a book that she would barely be able to understand. Smiling to herself, she absently reached out to take the book entitled ‘“Environment and Entropy: Djed in the Post-Valterrian World’. However, instead of grasping it like she had expected to, her hand instead came into contact with someone else’s. A dazed expression spread over her face as she was forced to relive the memories of whoever she had touchedIt’s her Konti gift. The first time she touches someone, she sees their happiest moment. Feel free to write about what she saw in your post. . Startled, Nira’lia dropped the book that she had under her arm. Amidst the surprise, she had completely missed the apology that the woman had given her. Her book loudly crashed to the ground, and heads turned to see who was making such a ruckus. When the vision cleared, the Konti went red. “I’m so sorry!” she said, loud enough for everyone else to hear. A few students muttered under their breaths and shook their heads before returning to their business. A few others, mostly men, lingered their stares upon the two women. Nira’lia, embarrassed, leaned down and picked up the book. When she straightened herself, she saw that the book that she and the stranger had been reaching for was still resting on its spot on the shelf. The Konti looked at the person before her. She was tall and didn’t resemble a Zeltivan, which prompted Nira’lia to assume that she was not from the city. A foreigner! Aside from her height and her foreign features, the Konti could not help but think, ‘Oh, she’s so beautiful!’ Sheepishly, Nira’lia gestured towards the book they had both reached for. “Please take it! I’m so sorry!”

[Sybel]

The room was black suddenly, a sparse bedroom illuminated dimly by watery moonlight. Two bodies lie entwined, their nakedness barely concealed beneath a wispy sheet. The pastel rays highlighted their faces – one clearly being an adolescent embodiment of the foreign woman, the other an unknown boy, youthful muscles gleaming. Chestnut hair fell into his bourbon eyes. The girl brushed it away, her gaze blissful. As she looked at him, her lips split into a brilliant smile. In that moment she felt truly beautiful. “Wow…” She whispered dreamily. “Wow.” He echoed, running long fingers tenderly through her hair. His smile mirrored hers, beaming and full of joy. He picked up a strand and let it cascade from his grasp, enjoying the sensation. She giggled. Affectionately, he reached up cradled her face in his hands: “You are the most gorgeous woman in the world.” He said reverently, eyes reflexively trailing down her nude figure. “I’m up here.” She said ironically. A low chuckle emanated from his lips. The moment took a sharp, more serious turn. There was some resolve in him, reflected in the desperation he held her with. “I love you.” He said. A sharp gust of breath expelled from her lips. Her throat tightened, tears springing sharply to the corners of her eyes. “I love you too…” She responded shakily. It was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. It gripped her heart in a fist, it gave her wings, and in that moment she felt complete. But suddenly the memory was tainted. The remembrance was seasoned by a great sadness, a twinge of resentment and ultimately regret. * * * “I’m so sorry!” The offender was a Konti, which was something of a shock. As Sybel turned to face her, she marveled at the girl’s fine features, momentarily dumbfounded. How old was this person? The stranger sported such a youthful complexion it was impossible to tell. The girl had bested her in the embarrassment department however, having dropped the book she’d already been carrying. She scrambled for it, clearly mortified. Her face was flushed, eyes wild. Sybel felt a stab of pity for putting the poor woman through the ringer. It was such an awkward situation. If only she’d been paying better attention, it wouldn’t have happened. Remorseful, she frowned. “Please take it! I’m so sorry!” She gestured to the book, still on the shelf. “I couldn’t…” She said, clearly upset by the whole situation. “I’m sorry.” Her face was solemn. Gently she removed the book from its resting place and held it out for the girl to take. Two seconds in a real library and Sybel had already managed to embarrass someone. It was a shame and most likely why she’d made so few friends during her stay. The thought was rather depressing.

[Nira'lia]

Face still flushed, Nira’lia had a difficult time meeting the other girl’s eyes. She had seen many visions through her gift before and there were a few particular types that she detested seeing the most. One of these types of visions that she detested were those that showed a person at their most vulnerable and private moments. She did believe that everything she saw through her gift was private, but these… these were even more so. Thus when the other girl reached out once more to hand her the book, Nira’lia accidentally gave a squeak and backed away. Utmost embarrassment mingled with horror was clearly displayed in her face as she put her hands in front of her in an attempt to shield the girl away from her. Her gift only worked once, but her mind often forgot that. She hated the prospect of touching strangers all together. Almost immediately, she realized just how rude she was being. Even the other people, those who had been staring at the two women, seemed to think her behavior was extremely out of the ordinary. With her eyes downcast to the ground, the Konti relaxed herself and put her hands tautly to her side. “Oh, I’m sorry, it’s just… I have an awful cold, my sisters have already caught it,” said Nira’lia. Her mind was quick to think of a lie. She just hoped it would sound believable, although she highly doubted that chance. The Konti looked up and straight at the woman’s eyes as she forced a smile. Eye contact was awkward, but she had to do it. “I’ve been trying to keep out of everybody’s way all day, and I do believe they all think I am an odd girl. But I couldn’t help it… I needed to go to the library. There is nothing a sick girl can do at home. You don’t think I’m dreadful for being here, do you?” She laughed, her voice soft and playful. There was a twinkle in her eyes that came naturally. “You have my permission to take the book, really!”

[Sybel]

The Konti cringed away at the approach instinctively. It was almost as if she’d anticipated abuse of some kind, like a beaten animal. Sybel’s heart sank. The rebuff was so sharp that the hand holding the book promptly fell to one side, and her eyes threatened tears. It was such an irrational response, but the rejection was so immediate, so complete. The onlookers were watching with morbid voyeurism. Sybel had too much pride to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Holding her head high, she bit back the sting. “My apologies.” She said simply, meaning to turn away. ”Oh, I’m sorry,” The girl responded, their apologies overlapping one another, ”it’s just… I have an awful cold, my sisters have already caught it.” What a miserable excuse. But she seemed remorseful enough. Sybel realized that she’d been horribly self-centered! Whatever the reason, this girl had a visceral reaction out of fear. She’d seen the panic in her eyes. Even then she was having difficulty meeting her gaze. Trying to soften the blow, Sybel decided she’d swallow the lie. ”I’ve been trying to keep out of everybody’s way all day, and I do believe they all think I am an odd girl. But I couldn’t help it… I needed to go to the library. There is nothing a sick girl can do at home. You don’t think I’m dreadful for being here, do you?” With some amusement, she was silently compelled to chastise her for embellishing too much. A good lie was always a simple lie… Too much expansion and people became suspicious. But this person wasn’t exactly going to make a career of it. No, she radiated purity. Goodness. Whatever had just transpired between them, she didn’t mean anything by it. Sybel returned the kindness with a wary smile. “Better to infect strangers, right? Never fear. I’m a medical marvel. You’ll be safe with me.” The words had a double-meaning, if one had the ability to read into them. The fear had seemed to ebb out of Konti, replaced by playfulness? What a turn around. She was certainly unique. ”You have my permission to take the book, really!” “Well if you say so,” she responded, “though it’s of no real consequence to me. I’m simply here to enjoy the exotic, wild varieties of the local library.” She responded satirically. “I hear there are many species of these things you call books.”

[Nira'lia]

She couldn’t tell if the girl was simply humoring her by believing in her terrible lie, but Nira’lia didn’t seem to care in the end. They had gone off on a terrible start but now they were actually in a conversation. The Konti hated touching people, but she absolutely loved talking to them. And this girl… she was evidently a foreigner. Nira’lia could ask her so many things! “Species?” Nira’lia’s head tilted slightly in puzzlement. She had never heard anyone refer to books in the way. Was that a trait of those from… where was she from, anyway? The Konti couldn’t tell. Would it be rude to ask? There was an energetic smile on Nira’lia’s face now. The girl was here simply because she wanted to enjoy the library. Fantastic! Nira’lia liked those types of people the most. The Konti gestured all around her, referring to the vast halls of books. “Well, you are in for a treat, miss! This library is unbelievable! I hear that not a lot of other libraries in Mizahar can compare to it. I wouldn’t know because I have not travelled much, but I do not think I can imagine a place that surpasses this one.” The Konti giggled and put her hand back on her sides. It was as if she was a tour guide. She was actually promoting Zeltiva. Nira’lia couldn’t help it; she had to brag about the city’s marvels. “Miss, you are not from here, are you?” inquired Nira’lia with a curious twinkle in her eye. “You call it the local library. That is not a term most of us use… we just say… uhm, library.”

[Sybel]

Sybel’s high sarcasm seemed to perplex this person. ”Species?” She cocked her head to one side. How awkward – she could have slapped herself. Having to explain a joke completely siphoned the humor out of it. It just became obtuse. But those sorts of statements flowed as free as the tides with her. It was an inherent part of personality. This girl seemed happy suddenly. Fearful, repelled, then playful and happy? Keeping up was causing her emotional whiplash. Never before had she seen someone so truly mercurial. Gathering herself, she released a deep sigh. ”Well you are in for a treat, miss!” She chirped. ”The library is unbelievable! I hear that not a lot of other libraries in Mizahar can compare to it. I wouldn’t know because I have not traveled much, but I do not think I can imagine a place that surpasses this one.” She nodded. Enthusiasm bubbled out of this Konti as easily as sarcasm did with Sybel. It would prove to be interesting if they spoke for more than a few minutes. That brought up a valid question. Why were they still speaking? Both parties had already repented for their mistakes. Perhaps it was just nerves, gluing the two of them in place. Perhaps they hadn’t quite forgiven themselves and needed to ease things over. But it seemed more than that, and Sybel couldn’t quite place what was behind it. “I was teasing about the species thing,” she explained suddenly. “I know what a library is, but I’d never really been in one. The Drykas favor tents, so the lack of permanent structures sort of prevents anything like this happening in Endrykas. There are a few odd libraries in Nyka, and I’m sure some in Syliras but… Not like this.” Her expression became worshipful. “This is truly incredible.” ”Miss, you are not from here, are you?” This girl already knew the answer to that. It was a transparent attempt to ask about her origin. “I’m from Eyktol, the desert region in the south.” She replied quietly. “My name is Sybel.” “I would ask about yours, but we seem to have collected an audience.” She gestured in the direction of their onlookers, miffed students and curious gentlemen. “I say we find a table a bit off from these nosy neighbors and speak further.” Sybel gestured for her to follow as she explored through the labyrinth of shelves, stopping when she found an appropriately secluded alcove in which to sit. The table wasn’t mahogany, but it was close enough. She sat opposite the woman. “So, may I ask your name?” She inquired politely. “I could use a friend in this crowded place.”

[Nira'lia]

Oh, she had been joking about using the word ‘species’. For the nth time during their encounter, Nira’lia felt foolish. Fortunately, it was nothing compared to what she had been embarrassed about before. The Konti grinned awkwardly and pushed the misunderstanding away. Finally, Nira’lia found out where the woman was from. Being that she had only been to two cities her whole life, the Konti didn’t have much knowledge about Ekytol. All she knew was that it was situated a desert, a place she probably wouldn’t be able to stand. And she was a Konti, she favored places that were near the sea, if not the sea itself. At that moment, she realized that she and this woman were different in many ways. Aside from that, the Konti had learned her name. Nira’lia was fascinated. She was evidently gaining a new friend. She followed Sybel to a table, almost too enthusiastically. The Konti ignored the stares of the onlookers as they passed by. It always felt awkward to be watched, but it was not something she could act upon. “Nira’lia,” she replied simply as she took a seat in front of Sybel. “I’m Nira’lia.” The Konti clasped her hands in front of her and stared at Sybel carefully. They had come here to read, but it appeared that there were other more interesting things to do at the moment. “How long have you been in the city?” the Konti asked. Her voice was dripping with utmost interest. “There are a lot of nice places to see here, not just this magnificent library.”

[Sybel]

“Nira’lia,” she replied as they sat. “I’m Nira’lia.” It was very beautiful. Konti females sported such exotic names. Sybel couldn’t help the pang of wanderlust. Mura had been such a gorgeous place that she literally had to pry herself away during her last visitation. During her reverie, Nira’lia took a pensive stance, eyeing her with speculation. Under normal circumstances, she would have suggested using a magnifying glass with the usual sarcastic flair, but Sybel thought better of it. It went over a tad too literally the last time. “How long have you been in the city?” Nira solicited politely. “There are a lot of nice places to see here, not just this magnificent library.” Sybel felt an oncoming itinerary. “I’ve been here since the last watchtower, midseason. It’s been about ninety days or so, I’d wager.” She replied, reflecting on the short time she’d spent in the hectic city. “It’s quite large here, with several ports. I have been turned around more than once, and that’s saying a lot for a woman who has traveled the length and breadth of three different regions.” It almost sounded like bragging, but not quite. It was her turn to ask some questions. “May I ask what a lovely Konti woman is doing in the midst of a human settlement? It’s unexpected. Do you live here?” She asked, hoping to not overstep her bounds. Physical contact was an obvious boundary for this girl, but once distance had been established, Nira’lia took on a completely separate quality. Sybel wouldn’t touch her again if she could help it. The animal fear she’d seen in those eyes was enough.

[Nira'lia]

As soon as Sybel mentioned that she had been in three different regions already, the interest lit up even more on Nira’lia’s expression. She gaped at the other woman, ready to pounce with even more questions. She couldn’t help it. Nira’lia loved Zeltiva, but she felt trapped with the idea that she couldn’t see the other cities. The Konti nodded fervently. When it came to a conversation, she rarely held back when she felt at ease. She could be naturally talkative when she wished to be, and was transparent about most things. “I’ve been here for a decade and a half. My history isn’t… uhm, my history isn’t the best. I was born as a slave in Sunberth, you see, but fate was kind and sent me here. But unlike my other sisters, I have never been to Mura, instead I live with humans.” When she said ‘sisters’, she was referring to all other Konti. All Konti referred to one another as sisters, and it had slipped her mind to explain this to Sybel. Not that it mattered, she would have thought that it was a minor detail. “Oh, which regions have you been to?” asked Nira’lia, practically on the edge of her seat. “Have you been to Alvadas? I hear it’s such a fantastic place… oh, what about Syliras? I hear it’s the safest city to be! Oh, oh! Which city do you think is the best one to visit?” She jumped from question to question, it was a wonder that she didn’t stop to catch her breath. “I really want to travel! Tell me about what what there is to see?” the Konti stared for a moment before continuing thoughtfully, “In exchange I can show you around… maybe bring you somewhere you haven’t seen been to in Zeltiva!”