#anywhere

"Better to put up wards, or to try to counterweave the cantrip..."

Firm nod

"Now, counterweaving is still a tricky wicket..."

"For us all," he admits

"But likely safer than trying to hit a Fair Fortune with a Foul one..."

"Likely.. oh, and be careful of trying Soothsay on your own true name as well. Da'an knows a sneak when it sees one... and fair fortune can ironically lead to a lot of trouble in the future if put directly on a true name."

"I try to avoid using soothsay on myself at all..."

"Always prudent" he says.

"Despite the curiosity, a'times..."

"But to explain further? WHen one fair fortunes a truename, they are mixing essence and destiny... and luck. And... well, if a name is meant to be that lucky, then surely, the Da'an decides, then that person is destined for great challenges or else why would they need the luck? Imagine most heroes in fiction, how lucky they are... but how UNlucky their loves ones can be.. and waht threats these 'fortunate ones' have to face to triumph over"

"I have had adventures enough."

"Well.. adventures enough of a certain kind."

"So no library?"

twinkle in his eyes

"That is a different kind of adventure. And, oh, I have a list of books to seek...."

"A list?" He says surprised that he's surprised

"Aye!" She retrieves it from her bag - purple paper, darker purple ink...

"May I?" He asks

She offers it to him. He might recognize that they're all "lost" works - books vanished in time, unread by any living soul.

"Oh my.." he looks over, and yes, it takes a moment, it sinks in. "Zara, these will not be gathered easily, and there might be a price of some sort"

"But to see them, aye? To hold Cardenio? To see how Austen's last novel ended? To see the folly of Margites?"

"What did you seek in the Library, if not the unknown?"

A fond look, "yes. I think Earl tried to hint this would happen. He said you would go big."

"What better reason to seek the Library than knowledge for its own sake?"

"Yes I think you'll fit in with a lot of pilgrims" He nods

"Earl is coming, too. And... despite my worries... Bronte. I think it will be good for her, despite my fears of losing her."

"Maybe... maybe she will be happier? I know not."

"oh, I think Bronte might surprise you with her loyalty..besides, the First Bookwyrm knows that there are libraries in other places that need promising young bookwyrms tending them. Bronte will delight, envy and pine, but it's possible she might be sent right back with you by the First Bookwyrm because she's needed more with you, not BY you, but by the books of this world"

"She is a valiant guardian of my library..."

"Also rather cute" He says

"The cutest." A spidery protest! "Equally cute."

"Well, I tend to think of 1122 more dashing than cute, but both are adorable" Diplomatic mentor

"See, he think you are dashing." The spider seems mollified.

It is then when a figure speaks up "Uncle Emmit, can I have my girlfriend back?"

Earl approaches smiling

"Love!" Zara brightens. Indeed, when she looks at Earl, one can almost see what he sees in her - eyes sparkling, a smile lurking at the corners of her grey lips.

Earl moves to her for him this is she. Alive and glowing with her own inner light, and he takes her hands "i've got some great news I just couldn't wait..."

"News? Aye?"

"Oh sure, tell your girlfriend first nto your family" His grandunclee says with exaggerated fussing

"Yup" Earl says unashamed and then continues talking to Zara "I know my priorities. I'm got a job illustrating a spooky children's book."

"A book!" Delight. "Oh, that is wonderful."

"I know, and every page illustrated. I really get to show my stuff off... the writer is calling it Indigo Draft and the Tree that Ate Perky Girls"

Emmit blinks "And this is for Kids?"

"Certainly. Children like scary things."

"Mayhaps thou shalt be most terrifying, like the Scary Stories were... oh, I would read those over and over again!"

"One of my inspirations" Earl says "The story is pretty much the title... Indigo Draft is the very odd daughter of the draft family, and the Perky Girls at school keep pestering her not to be so odd... " He begins

"Oh. Heathers."

"Pretty much," he says "But one day she stumbles upon a twisted tree that ..well, let's just say she and the tree hit it off after the tree almost eats her. And one by one , she feeds the perky girls to the tree. Lessons are learned."

"How.. " Emmit rubs his forehead "How is this story in anyway.. moral?"

"Don't be a bully or karma might catch up?"