A Cozy Fire and a Book

[Podvrak]

Frost 9 4621¤

He was off work but somehow still there, in fact it was as if he never left. Even off the clock the women were exploiting him and having him do tasks like "reach this" and "take out the trash". It would seem though, for now, he had a respite and had his nose buried in the next sequel to his favorite erotic novel. He was biding his time reading about the hand maid being whisked away to the prince's secret cabin when some shouting could be heard coming from the entrance to the library. Sitting with his feet propped up on a stand near the fire he ignored the sounds of trouble, this part was just getting good when a bang in the entrance made him jump, sending the tiny glasses perched on his wide nose to land askew. Sighing he dog eared the page and sat the book down on the end table beside his cozy seat. He stretched his back and cracked his knuckles, then made a slow meander to the sound of the noise.

No great battle met him, instead he was faced with a trio of human old women shivering and pointing at the open doors. They were his fellow librarians and quite frankly his current greatest adversaries. Wretched, evil women. He couldn't stand them but did because he knew he would outlive them and eventually they would be replaced. He had his eyes on citizenship anyway, this bullying wouldn't last much longer.
"Mages!"
One cried, grasping the other before fainting. Vrak raised an eyebrow and inspected the scene. Nothing was out of the ordinary, other than the rapidly encroaching snow pile in the door step and a few displaced papers.
"What happened?"
He asked in his deep baratone. The one who wasn't fanning the fainted crone responded first.
"The door! It just flew open!"
Her pasty, wrinkled finger pointed to the entrance. Podvrak sighed, resisting rolling his brown eyes, and made way to close the door. He paused, bracing against a wind as he scanned the outside, a few people passed briskly on the street but there was no mad man or mage.
"Probably some kids."
He said with a bovine snort as he closed the door again. All three women were yet again cognizant and he left them there to titter and worry on their own. Passing through the halls of tomes he made his way back to the fire, it was too cold to be in his own shack on this day, he would rather be within the pages of the library.

[Alexander Cross]

“Hey, Alex, where you off to?” Gabrielle asked as she placed the book she was reading face down on the table.

Alex reacted like that of a person who was caught red-handed stealing cookies from the cookie jar in the middle of the night. “Um, outside?” He chuckled awkwardly.

Gabrielle pouted and stared at him.

Alexander sighed, “It’s a work thing. Got to pay for those Artificer kits and golem spare parts that you kept blowing up, right?”

His reply was met with raised eyebrows and questioning eyes. “I’ll stop by and get you those candies and warm teas on my way back.” He compromised.

“Promise?”

“Promise,” Alexander replied and opened the door. “But you’ll either be having it for breakfast or lunch tomorrow.” He yelled as he quickly closed the door behind him, fully knowing what was about to happen.

THUD

At least that’s one of her least favorite books to read. Have to get her something to do before she burned down the apartment with another of her Artificer experiments. Alexander thought to himself as he entered the elevator. He made his way toward the door when the clerk waved him down.

“Business or casual?” the clerk asked him.

“Casual.”

The clerk shook his head and waved him off. Alexander knew better, he wouldn’t want to be one of those unfortunate enough to be handed the cleanup jobs on days like this. The weather isn’t friendly enough. He exited the building and spotted a carriage parked nearby. He made his way to the carriage and knocked on the door. After a few moments of knocking, a pair of eyes peeked out from behind the curtain. He took out three pieces of coin and held them at the window. A few moments later he heard the locking mechanism sound and the door opened.

“Where to?” the driver of the carriage replied

“Outer Nivenhain.”

“For fucks sake, I’m not running a charity here.” Alexander took two additional coins out of his pocket. The driver mumbled something under his breath then he grab the coin from Alexander’s hand.

Alexander took out a piece of cigarette and lit it. He watched people walk briskly on the streets. As the carriage neared Outer-Nivenhain, he checked his belt and pockets for his punching dagger and knuckle duster. Can never be too careful in Outer-Nivenhain, especially after his last visit there. I wonder if that lizard’s still around here somewhere. He recounted back to the time he met Arkash and the Nameless in the sewers. The carriage just passed the library a few meters when he remembered about Gabrielle and her book.

“Shit” he pounded on the roof of the carriage near the driver’s seat. The carriage halted. Alexander hopped out of the carriage and made his way toward the library.

“Mages!”

He was a few feet away from the opened door when he heard someone shout. He decided to get a better look at the situation before barging into the library. He walked past the door as the Rathor closed the door.

Well, well, I’m in no mood for trouble. But if there are mages this close to the capital, I need to make sure that they are on our side. He thought to himself as he double back and entered the library.

“Hello, are you guys still open?” he asked as he surveyed the area, looking for any sign of trouble. He saw the women on the floor and made his way toward them, to make sure that they were ok.

[Podvrak]

¤

Going back to his cozy nook was not going to happen. As if adding insult to injury someone from the street had heard their outburst and came to investigate. This could be bad for business, but these dramatic betties did not care. Hustling the women out of the room to fan themselves in the privacy of the backroom was a huge task. The women didn't respect him, pushed him away as he pleaded and urged them to get a grip on themselves. That was when someone came rushing up to them, making the show a spectacle. Had he not hair all over his face he would be red with blush as the new comer asked if they were okay.
"Mages in Nivenhain!"
One of the trio wheezed, but Podvrak finally had the last word.
"Enough, it was the door."
He sounded gruff, if not a little bit frightening in the way he enunciated "enough". Like a mother scolding a child with danger in her tone. Once the women were gone he tidied the place up from their ravings, at first ignoring the man seemingly. That was until he sighed and apologized.
"I am no mage. There was no mage. The door flew open from the wind, or some kids who know better playing a prank on these dramatic women."
Would the man take his word for it, being that Podvrak was a rathor as well as a non-citizen? OR would he scold him for speaking out of turn, enough was enough for Podvrak with those women this day. His patience with them was running thin.
"Did... you need something?"
Vrak spoke every word he said, always, slowly, methodically, and with his deep tone. As if he thought about each word before he spoke it.
"I must admit we don't get too many visitors these days. With Frost coming most would rather be in the taverns than our cold halls. We have the regular scholars who come every now and again, alas, it's just enough to keep us in business."

[Alexander Cross]

Alexander stopped and observed as the rathor scolded the trio. He held in his laughter. It was an interesting sight indeed. He noted how quickly the rathor explained to him and how the rathor started by saying that the rathor isn't a mage and there was no mage in the establishment. It had been ingrained into his head to question everything and that everyone's a foe unless they prove otherwise. One thing that came to mind is that the only kind of people who would be quick to make an excuse are foreigners or nameless.

"Women, right? They could be dramatic sometimes." Alexander replied, "not all the time, though." He takes another look at the room.

Well, the trio could also be just overdramatic. Alexander thought to himself. I'll file a request for a member or two to keep an eye on the place for the next several days. But it felt like the rathor won't be as troublesome as that lizard.

"Yes, I am not expert in books or whatsoever, but I'm looking for a recommendation for children's book. I have a niece who loves to read and I'm thinking of giving her a book as a gift." He explained.

Not too many visitors, huh? Sounds like the usual fronts used by criminals. A restaurant with an extravagant price range discourages potential customers yet never goes out of business. I need to list their frequent visitors and crosscheck it with the index back at headquarters. Alexander made a mental note.

"True, a tavern would be a better choice in Frost." He paused. "Well, no rest for those scholars, they rather spend their fortune on books than booze." He chuckled.

[Podvrak]

¤

"Women? I'm not sure, but they seem to certainly be."
Podvrak snorted and flicked an ear. He had no clue to the other man's thoughts, so had no reason to be on edge other than the annoyance and possibility of the women coming back out to make another scene as they were so prone to do. He listened to the man's request and then nodded when he spoke of a tavern being a better choice in Frost.
"An expert in books? Sounds like you should get to know your niece. What does she like? I will show you to our children's section."
If the other man followed he would find himself in front of a small, well worn book shelf just the right size and shape for a child to peruse.
"These are our children's books. My recommendation would be to choose something at her reading level. If she is advanced the fiction novels are right behind you. I particularly like the one about a whale in the children's section. A man goes out to kill a white whale, but the whale turns out to be a dragon and eats him. Quite good with pictures as well."
He would sigh then, as if he was fed up with something. The bull man would be silent for a second before confiding,
"I'm sorry, it's just, I am a Nameless and those women seek to ruin me and my reputation. I hope you can keep between us what happened here?"
He had no money to bargain with or sweeten the deal, just his word.