#earthrunes

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Earl knocks gently on the door edge of the library "This must be the..." Then a Bookwyrm flies into his face, fluttering//"Bold Leander!"" she coos where before she was feeling defensive//"Hello, Bronti. Is Zara in there?"

"Earl?" A feathery whisper from behind a wall of stacks.

An ivory head pokes up, dark eyes barely clearing the top book - but their corners are crinkled with a smile.

"Answers that," earl is dressed inthe style of clothing Zara prefers and he's taken too, "Yes, it's me." He peeks at the stacks, then smiles when the head shows "Hi. I thought I'd see what the fuss was about here. You and August arranged all this?"

"It belonged to the old baron. August is in charge of it, but I said I'd help."

"I hope that someone thanked you?" He says running hands over the books gently. "I can see a lot of your touches here. One library I went in had books of philosophy and theology scattered all together in a lump."

"Feh. No, the baron's system was not terrible, though I've tightened it up a bit... now, cataloging, that is all ferkakta."

"i'd ask if you need help, but I worry I might just get in your way"He looks about, "Okay, it's two rooms together?"

"Aye - the back room, those are the rare books. We're looking to... well, not hide them, but protect them. Make sure too much handling doesn't do damage."

Earl strokes Bronte, "And so Bronte is on temporary guard duty." The Book Wyrm preens //Then she chirps ""Smaug came hurtling in from the North, licking the mountain-sides with flame, beating his great wings with a noise like a roaring wind. His hot breath shriveled the grass before the door, and drove in through the crack they had left and scorched them as they hid. Flickering fires leaped up and black rock-shadows danced. The darkness fell as he passed again." She strikes a fierce pose.

A raspy chuckle. "Aye. My fierce guardian..."

"Gleep!" She agrees

"And thee? How art thou?" She glides over to the troll's side, reaching for his hand.

Earl takes her hand, "I'm good. Just missed you. Clem's still away on some quest, and I'm a bit worried about her, but omens have been cast and she's alive etc." He lifts her knuckles, lowers his lips and kissees her hand lightly "But I'm glad you're helping August. I know how you love working with books."

"Good practice for when I have my own library, nu?" A happy smile as she stands close to him, cool hands entwined with his. "I could see if I can fnd Clem through tattletale. The Dreaming is difficult, but not impossible."

"Only if you get curious" he says "I just have to trust." he holds her hand happily "I've discovered the women in my life are very tough. And yes, your library is going to be awesome. I just hope you let me put a few paintings of your favorite writers up here and there?"

"Aye. Though I know not where I wish to go... there are libraries everywhere, of course."

"Note to self" Earl states aloud "Memorize Library locations all over the world when one learns Flickerflash so as to impress lovely yet cerebral girlfriend."

Bronte's eyes widen and she perks up

Another rasp of air. "Oh, my love, you may have just made a promise more than you know..."

"Oh?" He says, focused on Zara he may not have noticed the book wyrm's hungry look

"Lady Bronte, I think, may be a glutton..."

"But tis a gluttony I know well."

"Ah, are you saying you and your lovely book wyrm might need to start a literary diet? How you want to show your ironwillpower through denial?" Earl says with an utterly straight face.

Bronte shakes her head emphatically no then looks to Zara as if to say 'back me up here'

"Nay! Hunger of the right sort... she is a growing dragon, is she not?"

“Hungry man, reach for the book: it is a weapon.”
― Bertolt Brecht" The Book wyrm agrees

"See? She agrees."

Earl smirks, "Well, I'd hate it to be said we're bad parents" He inclines his head, "Then I best start training on that art." His eyes dance, "Any library in particular you want to see, my love?"

"Oh! Oh, aye!"

"Why, there's Trinity, in Dublin. And the Lily, in Indiana..."

"Sainte-Geneviève, in Paris..."

"Of course, Paris" He agrees, "Dublin? Ireland might be nice..." A smile "Been to the Lily."

"There are chained libraries yet, in England... Hereford, for one..."

"You have? Is it lovely?"

"I thought it was beautiful, even before you go in, there's this fountain with sculpture and the architecture is..well, that's more of an artist's take then a biblophile's. But so much you'd love...Shakespeare’s First Folio is there. There's a thirteenth century hand colored world map"

Bronte might be drooling

"It is in America... so... maybe not so difficult, even without flicker flash."

"I don't know, I mean, it's a whole state away from Iowa" Faux teasing

She sticks out her tongue at him.

He looks at her with raw adoration at that

"You want I should show you the rare books?" Her eyes sparkle with delight.

"Please, and... yes, I think Lily is doable in the next month " hint of a promise, and he readies to follow

"After Purim, aye. I made hamanchen last week, so they should be nice and stale by Carnival..." She leads him to the back room, her fingers still laced with his.

Happily ensconced with her, he looks about. Bronte settles amid the ancient maniscrupts. Earl blinks, "How are some of these not crumbling? It's.. I don't want to say impossible but wow."

"I think Chronos - which is not an art I have. I think nocker gifts may be able to strengthen them, but not in the same way freezing time would."

"Clementine... I wonder if Spring could restore true youth?"

"I think if it could, others would have done it by now" He says

"Or... if I continue to grow, I may be able to fortify their names... but that is a long way away."