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Post by ari99 on May 24, 2007 12:56:05 GMT -5
The early morning sun glinted in through the windows of the library, highlighting the books used more often, lying out on tables or placed at odd angles in the many shelves.
Serafin hurried past these, toward the farther reaches of the vast hall of books. He liked the musty smell in the back, the obscure books, never touched, let alone dusted by now. The library, in total, was very well cared for; it was humongous and incredibly organized, but it took a while to get used to the maze-like structures, leading further and further into obscurity, until you reached what Serafin liked to think of as the heart of the place: A set of tall shelves, containing some of the oldest books, possibly even priceless, on any subject you cared to think about, and a great deal more you didn't.
He settled in one of the seats and pulled a book from the shelves. It was a shelf he dealt with daily, and also daily, he had been fighting an ongoing war with the dust. Unfortunately, as he knew, the dust would settle back once he had finished his studies on the matter.
The books he read were classical literature, the books everyone was supposed to have read. The most popular ones he had finished with in his teens, now he read stories hidden within the depths of the library, forgotten by most people.
He liked to read about other people, about fantastical adventures no one ever had. He supposed there was enough adventure in Tortall's history, but that was all it was- history. Plain facts. Serafin found he enjoyed the invented stories. To immerse oneself, even if for only a short time, into a story of someone else, somewhere else, fascinated him. He wasn't upset with his situation, he just somehow felt drawn to fiction.
Sometimes, he considered writing such a book himself, and sometimes he even wrote a few sentences, but he was never sure enough of himself.
Shaking analytical thoughts from his head, he opened the worn book (how was it all books in this section were worn if no one ever read them?) and sank into the latest adventure.
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Post by princessselene on May 28, 2007 9:53:55 GMT -5
Selene had been amusing herself, lost in the library itself, something she was often doing as of late. She had been sullen and withdrawn for the past week but today she felt a bit more on a happy note, why she knew not. She stood on her tiptoes to reach a book up on the top shelf but a loud yelp soon followed as she jarred loose the volume and it collided with her head, knocking the Royal over on to her rump.
Feeling throughly embarassed at her outburst and acutely aware of the sudden attention focused on her, she blushed heavily and scooped up the assulting literature and took a moment to let her vision return to normal before she rose to her feet. She noted a noble nearby reading and was pretty certain she had disturbed him. Offering a polite curtsy, Selene then spoke. " I am so sorry milord.. I meant not to disturb your reading with my clumsiness."
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Post by ari99 on Jun 1, 2007 8:06:45 GMT -5
"Oh, nothing to apologize, your Grace. You've made a marvelous comic interval into the general dullness of this book," Serafin said, grinning inwardly. It was an impertent thing to say to the queen's sister, but then, he had never been overly polite, so why not?
Besides, the book was dull, and it was amusing to watch her be hit by falling books.
Although on the other hand it was cruel to laugh at someone else's misfortune, Serafin reminded himself, but then shrugged the thought off. She had brought it upon herself by apologizing.
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Post by princessselene on Jun 6, 2007 13:19:56 GMT -5
Selene cleared her throat and tried to make light of the situation. " Clumsiness.. seems my specialty as of late." The Duchess replied, brushing the hair from her face. She then peered at the title of the book he was reading. " You found that book dull as well... so I am not the only one." She replied, a smile upon her lips, abet a shaky one.
" Even though I am sure you know my name, I'm Selenity of Conté, but most call me Selene. May I have the pleasure of your name milord?" She asked, doing the proper curtsy to the man before sitting in a seat across from him and rubbing the spot on the back of her head where a particuarlly heavy book had smacked.
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Post by ari99 on Jun 6, 2007 14:37:10 GMT -5
Serafin put the book on the table, having finished the last few unsatisfactory words. "Certainly, Selenity," He said, inclining his head to signify he acknowledged her introduction. "I'm Serafin of Eldorne."
Having cleared the formalities, he looked at her in a speculative manner. "You've read this book? Forgive me, but you don't quite seem the type to suffer through it just for the sake of it. I almost gave up in chapter three."
As she rubbed her head where the literary avalanche had made its first victim, he looked over to the bookshelf that had fallen. He had figured as much. There was a screw loose. It wasn't the first time things like that happened in lesser used parts of the library. It was simply too big to keep up constantly.
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Post by princessselene on Jun 6, 2007 18:04:32 GMT -5
" I put myself through a lot of pain for the sake of education and at times sheer boredom." Selene replied, opening up a bit and trying her hand at a joke. " Its getting dangerous everywhere now.. Goddess.. can't even pluck a book from a shelf anymore without risking an attack." She added, hoping he did nto think her an idiot. The royal then smiled sweetly at him. " Serafin.. I like it.. strong and different.. not like my name.. I find it rather plain."
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Post by ari99 on Jun 7, 2007 6:59:34 GMT -5
Serafin shrugged, smiling at her joke. "Any name is what you make of it. Selenity is certainly unusual, but shortened to Selene...much like with your sister. I've often wondered why it is you shorten a name as unusual as Sarafina to Sara. As to Serafin, if you think it's strong, you should hear my sister make fun of it."
He ran a hand over the book's cover speculatively. "The sad thing is really the potential of this book. If the characters weren't so annoying, maybe the plot would be easier to parse."
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Post by princessselene on Jun 8, 2007 4:17:12 GMT -5
The Archduchess pondered his first statement for a moment. " I guess its because the shortened versions of our names seem to be easier for people to remember. Most people confuse my full name with Serenity, thus why I decided on Selene." She explained to the best of her ability then shook her head when he mentioned a sibling jesting at his name.
" Sounds like she is your typical sibling.. even though Sara and I are twins, we still tease and taunt each other on occation." She added then nodded as he spoke of the book. " I could not agree more. Its a shame really.. I found several of the characters to be too static and not dynamic at all, which killed the overall excellent plot of the book." She replied then blushed. " I'm sorry.. I did not mean to ramble.."
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Post by ari99 on Jun 8, 2007 6:55:14 GMT -5
Serafin waved a hand to stop her apologizing. She seemed so insecure. "No need to apologize, you're perfectly right. The plot would have been alright, if slightly typical, and it would have even been good if the characters weren't so two-dimensional. Their jokes weren't even funny."
He studied her for a moment, then said, "I think Selenity suits you, really. I can't imagine Serenity on a person with your hair. And my sister is really a wonderful girl. She's just rather lively. And spoiled, I suppose."
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Post by princessselene on Jun 9, 2007 14:19:35 GMT -5
" I've ever been the almost black sheep of my family." Selene replied then blushed for some odd reason. " I agree with you on that as well. It made me wonder if the writer was seriously running on scraps of creativity... I probably could have made a better joke and I will tell you.. mine are very lame and always at the wrong time for jesting." She replied, tugging on a curl as she looked over at the man.
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Post by ari99 on Jun 9, 2007 16:06:26 GMT -5
He stared at her blankly for a moment. "These people made jokes about...what was it? Oh yes. Shooting stars. I think a blind, deaf, dumb turtle who is lame on three legs could have made better jokes."
He considered a moment before adding the next part. She may take it as offensive. But then...that had never bothered him. Right?
"I have heard of your standing in the Conte family. I do try not to pry, but there are people who think your business is automatically everyone else's."
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Post by princessselene on Jun 14, 2007 8:03:17 GMT -5
Selene nodded. " I agree.. it really ruined the story.. which is sad because it had so much potential... I remember being very unhappy with it as a read." She replied then as he spoke a frown crossed her features before she sighed sadly.
" There is no sure thing as privacy when it comes to being royalty, as the palace gossips tend to pay servants off for good tidbits, like hungry dogs to a slab of meant.. its disgusting sometimes how far one might go to get something new to gossip about. " Came her reply, as she looked at Serafin. " You tend to speak rather bluntly I noticed...?" She started, not meaning to but the last part came out a question.
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Post by ari99 on Jun 14, 2007 12:56:41 GMT -5
"I have no patience for dancing around a subject when you can just say it outright," he said shortly. "Why bother? I suppose royalty learns it, but you learn it so well it doesn't sound as stupid as it would if I were to try."
Then, smiling slightly, he continued, "Gossip is best ignored. Think of it as nasty people who have too little life of their own and so waste it on gossip."
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Post by princessselene on Aug 4, 2007 20:39:32 GMT -5
" THere is nothing wrong with that I suppose. I mean there really is not point to beating around the bush, its better to just come out with it... and maybe I should be practicing what I preach.." Selene replied, the last part in an almost mutter and self attack at herself. Looking over at Serafin, she turned the frown upside down, something she could do to mask her mood change. " That is a good way to look at it, I guess I am just more sensitive to it because I have to be, being Royalty is not as perfect and lovely as some people make it out to be. We have so much more stress on us to strive to make a perfect public image and being I am one of the last of our royal line.. its only that much more important.. to be honest.. I hate it."
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