#fenixtj

"Right?"

"She's pretty amazing. She's going to be an archeress."

"I thought she was going to be a baker, 'cus she smells like cinnamon."

"Well, people can be more than one thing.... no, shhh, come meet Mamacita..." She opens the library door.

He goes quiet as they step into the library, he knows how these book rooms work. "Do you have a sloo? It's not a proper liberry without a sloo to haunt the shelfs." He whispers eyeing the shadows curiously.

"We have a sluagh, but he is very small like us and not a librarian yet."

Mamacita, smelling the kitten, LEAPS over and COMPLAINS.

Salma looks up from the corner and holds a finger to her lips. "Oh, Princesca - you found a new nino. What are you going to do with such a collection?"

"Oh!" Ellie holds out the tabby, and the mama-cat takes her by the scruff.

"Why, keep him? Salma, this is Connor of Rivervale. Connor, this is my amiga Salma."

She stands and gives a curtsy. Then, tsks at his ripped trousers. "Off with those and I'll patch them up." Connor blushes! "Now now, I think it is ruder to be seen with a Condesa with ripped clothes, then in your chones." She giggles.

"He rescued the tabby. It... it is a tear of valor!"

Connor ducks behind a chair and hands over the Trousers of Valor, and Salma produces her small sewing kit and starts working, tsking. "And here I see a stain of valor on the knee, and do I smell cinnamon crumbs of valor?"

Mamacita is holding Tabby down with a paw and thoroughly cleaning her.

Connor looks excited when she pulls out the blue metal cookie tin, and then disappointed when it is filled with ends of spools, loose bits of yarn, and so many buttons.

"You make pockets AND fix holes?"

"You will keep me?" He looks thoughtful. "I don't think Gerd would like that much. But maybe she would, because Siv-Sister is here."

Salma nods, and is examining the tear as she selects a buttery yellow color, and adds a patch with fabric that has a sunflower on it. "I used to be more creative before I got my glasses, alas, now my stitches are more straight and less interesting."

"Well, maybe I will make you a liaison."

"I like your glasses. They make your eyes big."

"I'm good at lying and lying around, so I practically am one already!" Connor remarks. "I could be an emiss-arry because I'm semi-hairy, too."

Giggle.

"Maybe we can go visit after The Tour."

"What's a tour?"

"When we go see all the Barons and Freeholders in the county."

Salma's tongue is sticking out a bit from the corner of her mouth as she focuses on stitches.

"Is that a lot? It sounds like fun. Is it a party at every hold? And you can try all of their snacks?" His eyes are widening. "Do you need company?"

Salma clears her throat. "She has amigas for that." Is she jealous?

"I have an entourage." She nods.

"Salma and Ariel will go with me."

A small smile from Salma.

Connor nods, a wag of his tail, feelings not hurt. "You have to make sure to check out the kitchen's that's where all the best talking happens."

Salma nods to that wisdom and hands over the pants - now with a big flower patch on the rump. She picks up her book, pointedly.

"Oh, sorry for interrupting your story!"

A whisper to Connor. "Salma is my smartest friend, she can read in two languages!"

"You should be sorry, I shall never forgive you." Her eyes crinkle a bit behind her glasses as she hides a grin. "You must bring me a churro for forgiveness before bedtime, or no stories."

"Yes I will!" She promises.

"What's a churro?" Connor asks!

"OH!"

"You must come, churros are Very Important..."

Connor belts up his pants and steps out, bowing to Salma. "Thank you, Lady Salma Quickstitch, Mistress of the Library and member of the Entouragey!"

She ducks further behind the book to hide her blush. "Shoo! I am reading!" But she seems not displeased with the praise.

And off they go!