#debukefarmhold

"There is, of course, always risk in the Dreaming... depending how deep the Library is, at that..."

"It is, and the library itself has.. lures. Be careful, Zara. Books are a wonderful part of life, but they are not all there is to life."

"I used to think so, but I have grown since then - aye?"

"I have a real romance, not a story in my head. I have my family, and my studies..."

"You do." he nods

"All of which are good reasons to come home."

"Hold onto those reasons when temptation is strongest" Her mentor nods

"Aye. I don't know if Earl wishes to come or not..."

"And I fret over Bronte..."

"Earl will want to go" A ponder "Mmm Bronte ...Book Wyrms are plentiful there, of course, but i can see why you'd worry she might not want to leave"

Zara nods.

"I would miss her..."

"yes, well, you'd have to see what the Progenitor thought of her. "

"....the Progenitor?"

"The.. ah.. mother Book Wyrm?"

"So sure the progenetior is a her eh?" A grin

"Well, someone laid the eggs."

"Well, honestly I think it was a her, but honestly that wasn't one of the things I can remember. So let's say the Grand Mother of Bookwyrm kind, the first one is there. Where else would you expect her to lair? She knows every page, and that includes spell books. Can you imagine? The power of a dragon, the might of a sorcerer, the education of a hundred universities in one mythical being? And yet she is still not the greatest danger for she is said to be kind enough to those that love books"

"It... it would be unfair to leave Bronte at home..."

A sigh, saddened.

"Sometimes you have to risk the ones you love going in a new path in life" A sigh from the grump "Wish I had learned that lesson sooner than I did."

"I know. But I... " A sigh.

"She delights me. But I am not some... ogre, who would hold her unwillingly..."

"Oh if she wanted to go she can fly on her own now" he says "That little dragonling loves you, don't you doubt"

"I love her!"

"Which is why I would not wish to deny her the Library."

"Then you have made up your mind," A nod "Just as I have to share that information. And..why I won't go with you. This is your quest, and the quest of others close to you as peers, not a mentor. I have to risk losing a student, because if there's any place that might lead you to other tutors, it would be the library of all"

"I do not wish another mentor. I have greatly enjoyed my studies with you."

"Well, don't tell anyone, but I've greatly enjoyed having you as a pupil."

She pinks a bit, but smiles. "Our mutual secret, then." The sluagh mimes 'locking' her lips and tossing the key.

A chuckle "Mutual secret. I know from Mr. DeVere that sluagh keep those better than any."

"Also true. I know I mustn't take any books home, correct?"

"You must not. If you are very lucky, you'll find one of the Candle Scribes. They can make a copy... for a price"

"Candle Scribes?"

"Do they live there? Are they chimera, or fae who stayed?"

"It's hard to remember, I don't know what they were, who they were... but I know that a candle scribe can copy memories from a stranger's head at a glance and write it down. They can watch your shadow and write down your fate. They are... well, scary as hell. I think they use naming like we use our eyes"

She frowns. "They would see secrets?"

"One can prevent it..." He says "Or obscure it. "

"Aye?"

"But it's tricky, difficult. Now you see why few seek them out."

"Indeed."

"The good news is they cannot change you. Reweaving levels of their knowledge are forever denied them."

She shudders and nods.

"As for obscuring... you have the power... a simple fuddle over your very fae soul can throw them off... not a lot, but enough to make it so they must TRY to read you. And they can be an oddly apathetic lot."

"So... aye. Draw not their attention."

"Unless you need them to copy something." He says, "It's in the notes but.. yeah, those guys give me the woolies"

She nods. "I shall read. I think... oh, the Austen is no noble goal..."

"Oh noble smoble, folks go to the great library for all sorts of reasons. "

"Well, spell books, you said... Apocrypha, too, I'd wager - the book of Gad, lost prophecies..."

"SOmedark, some whimsical. I myself got to peek at the Gnomenomricon"