#anywhere

"Please, take a look if you like? " He offers

"Delightful! I see why Bachdion spoke so well of it."

"This is but the the room where I bring mortals," he smiles ,and pulls the sconce. Clearly he does this for theatricality!

It is perhaps worth it, as the scones is pulled, the balefire flares, and the room seems to expand, and stretch and grow more magnificent!

"This is my hold! The rest but a series of rooms built around it" The Marquis says proudly

Zara's eyes widen!

"Oh dear, Bronte will be MOST fussed she did not come on our honeymoon..."

"It's like the library shed it's caccoon and became this" Earl adds

"Bronte?" A confused look on the Marquis face, "I know the name , of course, the sisters are honored here but..."

"A bookwyrm. If you know the breed. She is a few years old now."

"Oh my" He says "How I envy your liege that she have such a fine creature in her hold."

"I have something of my own but not nearly such a charming companion" He admits "More of a watch dog really"

"Bronte is in my care. Though she, too, serves as something of a guardian for the Library."

"Watch dogs can be useful and even affectionate" Earl says "To their right master"

"Alas this poor creature must remain hooded" The marguise says "But please, take a look about"

"I have seen few better, monsieur." Zara paces, admiring the room.

A lot of Autobiographies with odd titles like 'Jean Paul, the rather sad Piskie', and 'Henry Deckard, foolish cat burgler', and another 'Madame Gilfort- who was tired of being old'

But there are also early editions of many classics!

She raises a brow.

Including some books August would love "Those were saved from the Rein of Terror... Prayer books of the church"

"Ah. Our Baron, I think, would be enamoured of those."

"May I?" She gestures at the shelf.

":Of course" he nods

She delicately takes the Piskie book, and peruses it - checking the end to confirm a theory, even as she kenns it.

Oh dear lord, this is a transformed changeling! Some sort of elder form.. which in this library with the balefire will never wear off. It describes a Piskie who was born roughly 40 years ago,... some of the highlights of his life, events in history he took a part of.. and ends with him in the 1990s trying to steal a book out of here... But it was too late. He had met the gaze of the Book-ilisk!

The Watchdog.

She gently replaces the book.

If she sorts through others, they have similar endings, mortal or changeling... though Madame Gilfort's tale is rather lovely, a favored Dreamer who became old and feelbe and in costant pain. He enchanted her and let her see the basailisk. Her long stories preserved, her romances, her hopes, tales of family. And she is in no pain

That one, at least, earns a smile.

Earl asks "What of these behind the glass case?"

"Oh, those are my prizes above all. " The Marquis says "I am sorry, those are off limits. Why, if Ihadn't owed Sir Bachdion a favor even he wouldn't have gotten to borrow from there"

As Zara probably guessed, she can see the spine of volume 2 to the triology she seeks . And other books aside that she feels a positive lust for.

"Off limits to any guest to read? Ah, it pangs my heart..." She delicately touches her sternum.

"For give me, while I will stand by the protections of the Escheat for all, I am a Fiona after all, they're really not meant for a commoner's hands. No matter how charming" The marquis says as he might to a sweet child who wanted to play with a jewelry box unaware of the worth of the contents

"Ah, I see. An odd notion, that."

"Not so odd, we sidhe are the guardians of antiquity" he says "So much lost without us to care for it. The fact we left shames me greatly" he sighs

"Truly," Earl says a bit dryly "Managing was a struggle"

"Yes, rather difficult to be guardians from beyond the great crevasse."

"Well, we're back now," he nods "Ah, perhaps this Early Dumas would interest you?"

"Dumas is a most interesting soul - I am sure you are familiar?"

"Of course, mixed ancestry, denied burial for the longest time in his proper spot, and yet was one of the greatest adventurer writers ever known to the nation. Fiona adore him"

"His grandmother was in bondage - some would have deemed her something less than human, for her enslavement. But the Haitians did make their opinions clear about that."

"Oh yes, savage uprising" the Marquis nods "Brutal.. beastial"

"More brutal than slavery?"

"Alas, if only time for reform had been allowed" A tisk

Earl coughs "My wife... darling? Look at this" He motions to the glass, a thin book to the side of volume too "Your eyes are better than mine"

Her lips draw briefly into a thin line. "Ah, pardon..." She checks the indicated book.

It IS hard to read... but she knows a little Russian, the thin tome has glamour and is labeled Autumn's Kiss: A lesson in sweet sorrows of the Season

She is almost sure it teaches that art, advanced lessons. .. and might even mention the old court aside. THough she has some of that lore for herself