#earthrunes

"Do I -LOOK- like a rabbi?"

"A fabulous one." Muttered.

"Well, " He looks at Miriam, puts his hand in front of his face in a weird C facing horns up motion, then closes one eye "With a beard..."

She does not smile.

"Ahem." A sheepish look "No, but I still value your blessing. Official or not, thank you"

"I'm sorry."

He looks at Zara at that

An eyeroll.

She rakes back her bangs, frowning now.

"I... I'll get new coffee." And she flees.

Earl is about to say something "Zara? you didn't do anything wron..." But she's gone "Wrong." he sighs

"Oy." She stands stiffly, gathering the crumbled papers and throwing them out.

"Maybe I did something wrong." He sighs "Sometimes it's..hard to be sure. But I know she's blaming herself for something"

"She like it here?"

"She loves this library," he says "But she'll never swear an oath to any noble, and may never swear an Oath at all. I...want to be where ever she is happiest, but she has her ebbs and flows. Sometimes the river runs slowly, lazily..other times she runs ahead bringing hell and high water with her. She loves me, but, I know there are others she cares for, deeply too. But by Da'an's blessing or blind luck, she iss with me, and I rejoice in that. She's happy here, but I think she doesn't want to leave family, and yes, she includes you in on that"

"That a 'yes'?"

A sigh "Why is it nockers can carp on and on but anyone else tries to get a pararaph out they get... " a sigh "Yes, she likes it here. But she's not ready to move out of Scarsdale yet."

"Well. She's only 17." Miriam nods. "Ok."

"Why do you ask?"

" 'Cause I wanna know if she likes it here!" Exaspirated. "You like ta know what she likes? Think you're the only one?"

The door cracks open with a soft creak.

A smile, "Why don't you ask her? why don't you tell her how much you want her to be happy? She would...light right up. I know it's not easy for you, that it hurts the years that were stolen from you. But she doesn't judge you for that, why would she? She relishes you in her life as much as you're willing. Let her know you relish her in yours . My own father, I can't even tell him where others can hear how much I want to ..." He turns at the sound

Softly. "New coffee."

Miriam is watching Earl sourly, glances over as Zara speaks. Nods. "Yeah. Thanks."

She holds out the cup.

Miriam takes it. "Thanks, Bubalah."

Zara blooms, like a night-lily opening under moonlight. "You're welcome. If you want, we could spend the night here. You can keep looking at books tomorrow. There's rooms to borrow."

"The Baroness Coradel is very kind to guests, and Zara's got a regular room close to the library at August's insistence. Pretty nice."

Miriam looks around the room, shrugs. "I don't mind."

She nods. "And like I said, Leibniz... in the special collection. Hehe said he was a Nocker."

"Yeah? Leibniz did ok, for a thinker. Ya know, not immediately practical or anything. Nothing you can -wear-. But...." She shrugs.

"No, nothing you can wear."

"Leibniz was another librarian, ya know."

"Was he? Huh"

"Yeah, I can take a look for ya, if ya like." Slurp.

A look to Zara at that

She bobs her head. "I'd like that, yes."

"Or anything you'd want to do."

She chuffs. "You wanna read?"

She nods. "Yes."

"Yeah, well, yer gonna need a book for that, ya think? What about him?" She jerks her chin at Earl.

"I can read. They teach us and all"

A smile

"Aye? I'll.. one second..." She flits off to fetch some novels.

Miriam pulls that mathematics book back towards her, flicking through it.

A book for Earl - and, when Miriam is distracted, Zara rescues some crumpled papers from the wastebin and hides them in HER book.

"Thank you" he says and takes the book

Miriam seems pretty distracted by her book.

Zara perches on a chair by Miriam's, settling in to read.

Earl likes the pretty pictures,... just kidding.