#scarsdale

"Point" Earl admits "Still, wow.'"

Vasthi ponders, "I once nibbled at a book about Gypsies as an entirely magical people I found in wolf's lair. Twas well intended, but alas, in the end, in bad taste" The moth wings flutter

"Hopefully it did not leave a sour taste in your mouth..."

"Nothing tea cannot fix" A sip

"Are all bookwyrms so tiny?" He leans elbows on his knees, examining Bronte with an admiring eye.

Clem and Earl exchange looks. if sluagh can be tricky to undrestand at times, Pooka are impossible

"Er, Petite. Delicate." He amends.

"She is young, yet. But... aye. I believe fully grown she will be not much larger than your cat."

The dragon looks a bit affronted at tiny, but the correction turns her snort into a sniff

She adds loftily "“Dream big dreams, but start small. A journey of thousand steps begins with a step.”
― Israelmore Ayivor, Shaping the dream"

"Of course, darling." Sip.

Which would a lot more dignified perhaps if it wasn't a tiny dragon with a tiny bonnet

Clem is impressed, "She knows so many quotes. I remember when she didn't use them in context, but she's clearly become great in knowledge. No wonder she has such a grand hoard"

"Oh, Clem, you must visit my library..."

He blinks, remembering, and picks up the small bag, offering it Zara. "Uh, I brought this, but you may not want her to read it..." He darkens a bit with embarrassment. "I was going to ask your opinion on how to handle a book like this.

Bronte beams at Clem's praise, as prone to flattery as any creature

And Clem smiles "I'd like that, Zara. I'm not sure I've really gotten a look at the finished product if a library ever can be finished that is"

She raises an eyebrow. "Color me intrigued..." Slender hands take the bag. "I do keep her from some works, as she grows. Though it usually means finding two for every one she is denied..."

A soft hiss at the word denied

"they say creatures grow to resemble their guardians" Vashti sips

Earl fights a smile at Vashti's comment

"Ah! Lovely! How kind."

Bronte flutters forward, and sniffs the book

The book inside is obviously used, second hand, though it is an original first printing. Rare, but not precious or dear. He ducks his head a bit, and clears his throat, leaning in. "But you see, ah... check page 112."

She nods, and flips ahead....

"Ah. Yes, I have waited on Twain, also. She can be less than discerning with her quotes."

He watches her expression, wincing a bit when he sees that she read the indicated bit. "The newer copies are edited, I think they changed the name to "Black Tom"..." He ducks his head. "But I didn't feel -right- in changing such an old book, and Madame Grey said you were a bit of a librarian, and might advise..."

"I believe it is important to remember the past, warts and all. You can recognize it for what it is without endorsing it or obliviating it."

Bronte bobs

"Maybe you know a collection that would appreciate this copy, if not your own? I have the e-book versions."

"I do...." A sigh. "E-book?"

"Well, I do. This is of a good quality and age, and the childlings at Earth Runes mayn't go into the special collection unsupervised."

He holds out his scrawy arms expressively. "I'd need Troll-muscles to cart around everything I like to read on paper..."

"Perhaps you could recruit one from Rivervale to be your porter..."

Clem rolls her eyes at the porter comment

He snickers a bit, then wipes his expression clear. "They're mostly all girls there - good ones, mind you, not all... ah. well. Anyways. I daren't be seen outside of the lodge with any of 'em, lest my Stepmom start matchmaking." Droll.

"Yentas can be troublesome."

"Been there" earl says

"Happens to trolls too," Clem agrees with her cousin. "Don't worry, Symon. You'llfind the right girl when you find her." A pause "Or boy or whatever"

He glowers a bit, and shrugs. "Ain't looking, but, uh, thanks. I think."

"My library is some distance, in Grass. Are you familiar with Firnost?"

He sits up, interested, and seems about to remark, but then thinks better, eyes flicking around, and says, "I'm told that it is a hive of scum and villainy and not a place for a proper young lad to visit."

"Precisely its appeal, nu? And, more importantly, the most dense nexus of trods in Concordia."

"You can get there from Rivervale. And from there?" She shrugs. "Well, my library for one."

He flashes a faint grin, and says, careful of the unknown company present, "I am sure I would not be caught in such a place, if I weren't supposed to be there." Slight emphasis on caught.

"I'm starting to think the elders are right about her being a trouble maker" Clem whispers to Earl, knowing she can be heard

"I should hope. I would b e so disappointed if you were caught."

"I, Miss Clementine?" An arch look, placing a hand on her chest.

Clem says "Well, you did steal my cousin into big city living and fancy tea parties" She sips her tea unironiclly "Now you're encouraging this boy to head towards Firnost without even warning him about the plumbing"

"Some things are best discovered by oneself."