#earthrunes

"Yeah. Sleep. Water."

She gets him another glass of water, cold, and gives it to him, and kisses him on the forehead "I think we found your limit, sweetie"

"S' alot....."

"You're welcome"

"Thanks. Mean worl' to me...."

She strokes his hair "Same at you. Now rest. I'll try to keep the noise level down. I already asked Betty to stay at the work shop to day."

"thanks... but i gotta do. You know. I gotta."

Adam lever himself up.

Sitting, and however painfully, to work.

"Oh Adam no.. It's okay. I"ll pass the word you're sick"

"Nah. S'ok. " He rises and staggers to the shower.

And off he bravely goes

With Nab acting as his sober guide

(End Scene)

"I crave entrance only to tend, not to intrude" A voice soft, though not whispering, says

The library is dim, but Zara can see the woman clearly. A maid she doesnot recognize. Kinian, pale

"The library is mine to keep, but it is also to be shared."

"Alas, I come to tend, not read, but I shall be cautious and I would like your input, if it is Miss Zara the lIbrarian I have the pleasure of speaking to? My eyes are not as good as my kin, but I do see signs of spiders about. How best to clean without disturbing? "

Then a sigh "Oh my manners. I am Ivanka, a new maid on trial. A terrible name in these times, but one needs must endure the cruel twists of history"

"Aye, aye. I am Zara, the librarian, and it is good to meet a cousin. I suspect you may be more understanding of the dust bunnies than our boggan friends..."

"It is why the Steward said I might try my trade here in this area. Apparently the last few attempts by the boggan maids have been a touch ..brusque? If I may say"

"A touch." Wistful.

"At risk of angering those I hope to have as peers, I have noticed that boggans atimes risk elegance in the pursuit of efficiency," A dim light comes in, and Ivanka looks about "You mentioned Dustbunnies, a whole colony? or merely a family or two?"

"Two families, they have room to grow."

"How charming .. ah, I have just the thing" Ivanka searches and seems to know where to look. "Ah, there you are." She takes a bit from a dust pan, and sprinkles it down in the niche under one case. "There, little ones. Lint for strength, use it wisely. It was not appreciated in the kitchen"

"The spiders.. well, we have the sisters, and then there's 112-" Zara is interrupted by a swoop of ink-and-parchment wings. "Salutations!"

"oh my" Ivanka is startled from feeding the dust bunnies the lint, then looks up to see Bronte "oh my. What an interesting encounter"

"How true," Ivanka says "I confess, this page maybe in a genre I am not often versed in"

Bronte inspects the kinain - perhaps she has hidden books?

"Well, this is Bronte. She is a bookwyrm."

Bronte smells a book, theree in the folds of the victorian maid outfit

"A book wyrm? Ah, but of course, " A nod "Charmed to meet you, Bronte. You are the first Book wyrm I have ever met. I hope you are not the last for you seem very fine"

“I love the smell of book ink in the morning.” Bronte pleads.

"Arguably, the library is truly hers. She is less bothered by the spit-shine than our arachnid and lapine friends."

"Pardon ? I.. oh" a blush "I have a book on me. She smells it, clearly"

"Bronte! Manners!"

“Never ruin an apology with an excuse.” She quips, then appends. "Ben Franklin."

"oh she is, exuberant, but of course, if one is to be forward, books are a good reason for it" Ivanka says then pulls the book out. It is one they do not have

My Official Wife by Richard Henry Savage, an 1891 novel. More over, it is a yellow back, smelling as old as it's publishing date

"“What can an eternity of damnation matter to someone who has felt, if only for a second, the infinity of delight?” Bronte noses at the book.

Zara sighs, but it is full of affection. "She is hopeless. You have, methinks, made a friend."

"Oh the works are... Savage was hardly the most celebrated writer of his time.. most of his work was self referential and through rather ..ah, larger than life touches." But never the less she.. surrenders the book, "Oh well, I have that new romance novel to read anyway"

A bemused look. "If it helps, she will return it..."

"I don't get to read anything first, anymore."

"you clearly sacrifice much" No irony there, "I confess, I am more worried the book is.. tender, rather than minding her reading it. I fear my tastes are not always the highest literature.. I love such, of course, but I do have a weakness for Penny Dreadfuls, Yellowbacks, and pulp at times. And, romances, of course. I just got one, by a Talia Amur that's deliciously purple"

Zara pinks just a bit. "Well - books are our private world. I, too, enjoy a good penny dreadful or gothic romance..."

"Oh, that is good to hear. I am at times a bit embarrassed by my interests fearing them bordering on the puerile," Ivanka says, "Though as you say, a private world. Someone else's world lent to us"

Bronte looks tempted to say something, perhaps TOO much in her pride for Zara, but no, Savage's work has hooked her. It's NEW to Bronte, and she is insatiable for variance at times

"Still - you are welcome here on your leisure time, not just in your duties. Perhaps for tea?"