No Harm Ever Came From Reading A Book

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OOC: This thread is open by requests only. PM me if interested. I have a particular direction I'm looking for. And please await approval before joining, thanks. Lion took the bait >D nyahahaha
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"In the Time of Ansgar... volumes one, two and three," the woman spoke, glasses on the edge of her nose as she read the worn script on the book's binding. Frowning, she turned around, craning her neck up at the shelves above her. "Ah, here we go." Leaning up on her tip toes, she placed the three books into their slot but paused a moment to notice, with a furrowed brow and pout, "Oh.. volume six is missing.."

Glancing over her shoulder, she peered at the desk at the end of the hall. Students at the university had come in that day doing research and left the back of the library quite a mess. Thankfully, it was nearly closing hour and she still had about half an hour left to clean. But, noticing the books she had to still catalog and reshelve didn't seem to be dwindling, she gave a defeated sigh and slumped against the book shelf.

"By Ansgar's name, will this work ever get done?"
She worked sixteen hour days and barely got a few coppers for her work. It was just enough to help pull her weight in her family to help put food upon the table- but really...
She felt herself lucky indeed, for at least she enjoyed her work, despite the long hours and the underappreciatedness of her boss.

In fact, there was even rumors that- due to the war, funding in the library would cut and it was hinted at that she might be without a job. She stared up at the ceiling, day dreaming over what she would do without a job. How would her family manage?

But her brown eyes caught sight of a book- and a more curious one on the top of the shelf-
"Nights of old Essyrn!?"
Shaking her head, she planted her hands to her hips and gave the book a mean glare (or as mean as someone like Artemis Longfellow could give, for she was anything but a mean looking girl). Sighing, she approached the shelf and tried to reach it, and sighed when she realized- "Oh, figures someone places a book away on the wrong shelf. And the top shelf, no less!"

Glancing around, she couldn't find the library's ladder and- finding herself growing impatient, she spotted a nearby stool.

"Ah, ha!" She gave a triumphant whisking off of her glasses. "This ought to work just fine." Fetching it up, she placed her glasses upon her head and dragged the stool over towards the book shelf and placed it near. Then lifting up her skirts (but to an appropriate length, of course!) she placed one boot in front of the other as she stepped up onto it. It wobbled a bit at first but after she slowly got her balance, she craned her neck up towards the shelf and stood at full height with a smile. The book was now in arm's reach!

"I'll show you for not being in the proper spot," she told the book with her nose playfully to the air, then reached a hand forward to fetch it-
but the bottom of the book hit the top of another as she was pulling it out- and it knocked that one over into the next, until the books all beside it began to fall over in a domino effect until the book at the very end of the line shot off the shelf...

And landed upon the pile of books she still had to re-shelve!
Artemis stared at the feat in disbelief.
"Oh, Ansgar no..."
And just when she thought the situation couldn't get worse (for at least books knocked over on a shelf were easy to clean...) The pile of books began to wobble and teeter....


And the heaviest volume toppled over- landing right on someone's foot.

[Lion]

It wasn't that he didn't have anything better to do.  And rarely would Caelwyn put himself at risk for the sake of a book, but this book in particular had so far eluded him in all the libraries in Serendipity.  Travel was incredibly dangerous, especially wandering through the wilds of Connlaoth while the land was at war with itself for not good reason (since war was always a waste of everyone's time).  Caelwyn, almost literally, just marched right through a battlefield in the midst of it on his way to Uthlyn, with no mind or heed to the goings on around him.

But if he had known, his life would have been more in danger when he entered the library he might have – ...  Wait, nope.  He still would have gone on in anyway.  The book was a rare tome, a list of detailed maps from Essyrn, both recent and dating back at least the last two-hundred and fifty years.  Rumor had it that the only existing copy that was destroyed by wind, weather, or rival armies resided on the very shelves of his library in Uthlyn.

He had spent hours there, just browsing really because libraries were just as interesting to look at, as they were to study and read in.  And he just happened to find himself at the wrong place at the right time.  The sounds were deafening when the books fell, but Caelwyn had trained himself to ignore most distractions, until those  distractions landed on his foot.

"YOOOOOOOW!" he suddenly cried out and abruptly twisted on his heel as he raised his leg to grab his foot.  As he turned, his entire body lost balance and smashed into the pile of books the young librarian on the stool had, and the books landed all around him, covering everything but his arms.

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Artemis gasped the moment she watched the man's foot become smashed beneath the book- but before she had a chance to warn him about the pile of books beside him, the flailing man already collided with them, nad wiht a cringe, she watched him fall down and become buried.


For a while, all she could do was stare in disbelief, then looked around to see if anyone had seen that before she scrambled down from her perch upon the stool and stumbled to a halt, just before the edging of the book heap.

"S-sir?" she spoke out, using length in her tone and a bit of volume, but not TOO loudly so as to draw the attention from her boss...

"Sir, are you alright?" and spotting his hands, she took a few dainty steps in the pile of books when her heel caught the edge of the spine in just the wrong way and sent her tumbling on top of both man and books. Though her body had enough force to push a lot of the books aside, the librarian was now bent over awkwardly the man who had once been subdued by the books- nd he'd now find his face just inches away from a brown haired woman who's classes were now worn askew and brown eyes were quite large as they stared back at him in shock.

[Lion]

He felt as if he blacked out for quite a long moment and he stirred just a little with the slightest groan.  But when he heard the creak of a leather sole and the shuffle of books, he felt another force suddenly topple onto him and pressed a squeal out of Caelwyn that he found particularly humiliating.  It certainly made his eyes open and he gasped for breath when a large book slipped off his face.

He stared up at the ceiling before turning his eyes toward hers and he said nothing for what seemed like an eternity.  He gasped and felt his face turn red.  "I don't suppose you treat all your patrons to a near death experience!  I think I broke both of my legs...and my arms too," he huffed and pushed himself to sit up.  Obviously, save for a headache and a sore back, he was in relatively healthy shape and Caelwyn nursed his head and crossed his legs in front of him.

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Artemis gaped, her expression looking like that of a fish before her eyes fluttered and she returned from her mind-numbed stare and plucked her crooked glasses off her face.

"I-" she began to say, then found herself floundering over what to say before she took a step back, trying to evade the books, but her heels caught onto one again,a nd this time she fell forward but managed to catch herself- though awkwardly on Caelwyn's pants.

ANd the awkward rip that followed made Artemis, "er..."
Arms pinwheeling, she jerked herself up right, hands now snapping off of his pants and she, stepping bac with a bit more caution and confidence as she peered back at the man, her entire face as red as a cherry.

"I.. I do apologize for all of this sir but no," she siad, finally answering his question from earlier with a deepened frown. "We do not, and I humbly apologize for the..er.. books." She made a face before frowning again, she wasn't sure what else to say or what else was to be done about this- but before she got a chance, she was nearly leaping out of her skin when the shrill voice of her boss: Librarian Obert Brown, stepped into view and he went into a panic.

"By Ansgar's name!" Obert shouted, voice echoing up to the valted ceilings. "What on earth happened here!?"

Turning towards the red=faced and angered Obert, Artemis cringed and took a step back, but not before she stared at him a moment in hesitation before speaking.
"I can explain."

"You'd better explain, Artemis! Or else this entire mess, anything broken- all of it, ALL will come from your salary. And from the looks of it, you'll be working here for yeras for us for free! Now explain yourself this instant and tell me, with good reasons, why all of these books are now on the floor!"
An dif hte man wasn't bald enough, he'd surely be losing his hair now, and Artemis, feeling a knot seal within her throat, tried to swallow it as she hesitated over her words.

"Um.. well.. you see the thing of it was, is-"

"Oh, never mind explaining it here, Artemis! You'll trip over your tongue all day!"

ANd the woman took offense, but sealed her lips together so as not to retort. Sometimes Obert could be so mean!

"Just get this messed cleaned up and report the damages to me and we'll see what sort of fines this will cost you!" and in a huff, the head librarian turned to storm away, leaving Artemis gaping.

[Lion]

Caelwyn managed to stand when he felt his head didn't get the best of him.  He used a bookshelf to help him stand and keep his balance as Artemis stammered and suddenly floundered before him.  "Oh, gods, woman get a -"

Shriiiip!

"-grip."

Caelwyn stared down at his legs and saw an entire pant leg on his right suddenly torn to shreds.  He gasped aloud, howling in surprise, embarrassment and just a little bit of rage.  Color flooded his face and he stared at Artemis with wide eyes and couldn't even find words to say.  By the time the head librarian found his way toward their situation, he was too busy trying to hold the torn leg of his pants up, fumbling and saying all manner of nonsense.

He peered up at the balding man and held his pants with one hand.  "AND DON'T FORGET TO ADD ONE A PAIR OF TROUSERS!" Caelwyn called after him.  He peered at Artemis with daggers in his eyes.  Oh how he wished looks could kill.  "What is the matter with you!?  Are you some kind of molester of famous archaeologists!?"

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Artemis, who was already practically dieing from embarrassment as it was, and feeling the heavy weight of guilt from her actions, cringed back when Caelwyn proclaimed her, of all things, a molester!"

Snapping into offensive mode, she ruffled up her feathers and squared off her shoulders and shot the man a look as she gave him a once over.
"I most certainly am not! It was an accident!" Though her face turned pink, she believed it was more than evident what happened. Her boots tripped over the books! Why could he not see that? Besides! She would never be caught dead doing such a thing! She had never even kissed a man, after all, let alone be a girl to try to tear the pants off of one!

[Lion]

"PAH!  You'll be hearing from my father's lawyer in due time for this incident!" Caelwyn snapped, though even he couldn't quite believe that he had just pulled out the father's attorney as if that would actually fix the situation of ripped pants.  But his scowl made him seem more than dead serious.  "You should be fired for your incompetence.  Obviously you have no idea what you're doing.  You fumble about like your half brain-dead and blame it on someone else.  Besides, you started it when your goddamn book collided with my foot!"

He was positively spitting.  Never had he been so enraged in all his life, but he was far too angry to speak anymore before turning on his heel and stalking away toward the table he was working on.  And just when he left, Obert Brown came rushing back to the sound of shouting and stood on the other side of the aisle.  "What's this about suing!?  No, madame!  I did not just hear those words!"

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Artemis was taken back, making a face of anger and confusion. Was he really so upset over a little pair of ripped pants? And really.. she had only ripped half of it anyway! But at his mentioning of her being fired, her lips fell open as she stared at him- in shock and pain, for nothing could harm her more than to tell her she was incompetent. She had worked so hard to get this position, having educated herself with the help of no one else and many years of lost sleep! Tears had been forming in her eyes, tears he probably didn't see nor care about as she set her jaw and glared back at him angrily.

"It as an accident!"

But it seemed her words would only go to the back of his head. Oh! What a rude and despicable man! And to think he spoke this way to women... she'd hate to see how he was like with others! (Granted, most didn't drop books all over him or rip his pants..)
But that was beside the point! (though it did happen within minutes after they've met..) No that they've properly met at all!

But oh! This was awful, just plain awful and the moment Obert Brown returned, Artemis was left floored. The man went on and on with his lectures about her behavior and hwo, despite her protests and mentionings of her hard work at the library, it all ended witha  huff of "That's just enough, Miss Longfellow!" And she cringed when she noticed the look in his eyes before he told her, "You're fired!"

And all Artemis could do was stare.


"I..." she began to speak, but even she was afraid, and too stunned, to properly respond. She couldn't even cry. All she could do was gape.

"DId you not hear me properly, Artemis? This incident is just too much! We've got an angry patron- a very famous man- do you even know who that was? Caelwyn Caye! A famous archaeological explorer! And if he goes on to tell the whole world about this incident, why- ARtemis Longfellow, you might lose more than your job!"
His words hurt more than he could have known, especially when he went on to add, "And to think I gave a woman like you a chance! Go home where you're supposed to be. I'll take compensation from this mess from your owed weeks of pay!"

It felt as if Obert Brown just slammed the door in her face. She couldn't believe this and she was left again, without means to speak, for her throat was tightening into a knot and her mind, numb to all senses. So slowly, ever so slowly, she turned her back to the mess, back to the library- and left, having no idea where she was even going or what she was even going to do with herself.

Her world, quite literally, just fell apart within a matter of ten minutes. What was she going to do now?

[Lion]

Well, that wasn't his problem.  Sure he had to walk out of the library using his coat as a dress, or walk out with half a pair of pants.  He wasn't too perturbed about that.  Clothes were replaceable, but his dignity needed a little soothing, and it was her fault anyway!  No, he would not be guilty over her.  She was the one that was too clumsy to properly stack books away.  Good gods, even the most half-witted colleague of his could do that!  And all they could do was count as high as their fingers and toes.

Caelwyn poured over his book, which hadn't been the one he sought, but at least it served a suitable substitute for now.  On the History of Essyrn and the Moraki Desert was the label and his quill scratched the paper as he scribbled on it.  "Hmm, incorrect, the spring wasn't discovered until the summer of 768, first era," he mumbled as he wrote and flipped pages.

As he heard foot steps passing by him, turning out to be clumsy librarian herself, he cleared his throat loudly and reached out, grabbing her by the sleeve.  "Oh, right, could you see if you have the one and only copy of Geodatus Expedition of the Essyrni Territory and Its Foundations?  I heard you had one in the back."  He didn't even look up at her as he continued to scribble.

Obert paused in the corner of the library before throwing daggers to Artemis.  He scowled at the fired woman.  "Well?" he said, putting his hands on his hips.  "You heard the man!"

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Artemis was taken back when her shirt sleeve was suddenly yanked, and when she saw who did the yanking,s he was even more surprised! Hadn't she had enough of that man for one day?! THen there he was- barking orders! ANd there her former boss was, glaring at her as if she had to obey.

Gaping, she simply stared and said nothing, did nothing, that was until Obert Brown stepped in between them.

"Yes, Artemis.." he pressed, gripping her arm harshly. "I do believe that was one of the books you were categorizing this afernoon."

Of course it was one of the books she was categorizing, she knew and remembered ever old book like that.  But the fact that she was just fired and this man just sought to patronize her by throwing salt in her wounds made her yank her hand suddenly from Obert's grip.

"I most certainly will not. After all, you sent me on a permanent holiday!" and without so much as looking back, she turned away from both men and stormed clean out the door.

It was only when she was already storming down the streets that she realized- wtih an internal laugh, that's why the book was so familiar- she had taken it home!

"Take that, Uthlyn scholars, as if you'll get back suhc a precious book!" she told them in a huff of airs before she threw her nose up towards the air and continued to storm off towards her home, ont once looking back at that discpicable library-

and back at the library... internally, Obert Brown was cursing out Miss Artemis Longfellow, for he had told their famous new patron he could help-
though as he was in the back, digging through books- he began to realize how incredibly wrong he was.

With a sigh, he moved over to check the book list to see if it was recently checked out. ANd pointing at it with a heavy finger he gave a laugh.
"No wonder it is not here, Mister Caye. It seems Miss Longfellow had checked it out!"
Gods, could his day and luck get any worse!?

[Lion]

"Pfft, no wonder she was fired.  That attitude," Caelwyn rolled his eyes and went back to the scribbling just as Obert went into the back room and began rummaging for the book the scholar had requested.  Thank goodness he wasn't Connlaothian, he wouldn't know what he would do in the face of all this incompetence.  No wonder their army was losing this stupid and dreadful war.

Besides what good was fighting over who could or couldn't use magic anyway?  Serendipity did just fine in that regard.  Sure, you had your occasional evil witch and mad wizard looking to gain all the power, but there were usually others willing to put a stop to them, so it more or less balanced out in the end.  He wondered for a moment why others like High Lord Acaulian didn't try to promote productive use of it by institutionalizing it, if that was the word.  Free thinking, knowledge available to anyone willing to learn.

Well, anyone that wasn't Caelwyn Caye of course.  He'd nearly forgotten that he'd been kicked out of the university at Reichsgard, for debatable reasons of course!  (And none of which were his fault!)  But he'd never bee much for the study of magic.  He enjoyed literature and history, and the culture of peoples long dead and forgotten.  And finding new ways to learn about them.

All that was thought for a different day and Caelwyn went back to his book and sniffed, then growing suddenly impatient for Obert when at last he made his return.  "She has it?" he said, raising his brows at the man.  "The vengeful crone!"  He growled and threw himself from the table, bolting for the door in half-pants.

He nearly tripped over them by the time he made it down the steps and ran after Artemis!  "You have the book!  Give it to me now!  And I may consider forgiving you for you ineptitude."

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Artemis Longfellow had barely made it a few steps towards the fountain that lay before the Uthlyn Library, near the town square, when Caelwyn rushed out and began to yell for her. Not realizing it was meant for her Artemis kept on walking until she caught the man out of the corner of her eye and turned around with a gasp.

"What?" she blinked, staring at him as she made a face. "What are you going on about?"
And his shouting was already drawing a crowd. She looked around then back to Caelwyn.
"And if you please, keep your tone down. You're making a scene."
That's the last thing she needed, to get in trouble with the guards as well because this man was chasing after her like a lunatic.

[Lion]

No, it certainly didn't help that he was shouting.  But it also didn't help that he was standing in half-pants and was turning red in the face over the matter as petty as a book.  Oh, but he knew the ignorant and the small-minded people of this city just wouldn't understand.  It wasn't just any book after all!  It was the Geodatus of Essyrn!  Who knew what kind of hidden secrets it had!? 

Oh that's right!  THIS! incorrigible woman!

"I don't care about a scene!  And don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about!  The Geodatus!  A rare book I've found was only here in this very library, that YOU checked out and likely never to return!  Pah!  Give me that book and I'll consider getting you your job back, and that insolent whelp of a manager removed permanently from that facility.  What school runs that library?  Though I suppose it is a city facility and likely a letter won't solve everything, but I'm sure I could think of something!  I just need that book."

[visualspice]

"Geodatus?" she asked with a blink. "You mean The Geodatus of Essyrn?" She shook her head. "I had checked that out earlier. It was a new addition to the library." And she gave a short sniff and tucked back some of her pout. "I always read new additions and I have only just got the book this morning and I shall return it when I am done with it. Now sir, if you please...  before you bring the guards into this with all of your shouting... Really, I'm sure you can wait until I am finished with it before borrowing the book from the library anyway. Besides," she said, her frown deepening. "With the low funding because of the way, I was going to get let go soon anyway." And she looked into this rage filled eyes, wondering, if this man was for real. "You can't just think you can magically save my job." And then she noticed a few snickering ladies as they passed, and it was only then her gaze followed theirs to his pants and...

Gasping, she whirled away, averting her gaze rather quickly.
"Also, might I suggest.." she went on using her hand to shield her eyes from him. "That you seek a tailor for those pants, first."

[Lion]

"A tailor my eye.  You would say anything to distract me from my task," Caelwyn snapped and put his hand on his hips.  "Besides, I need that book now.  I don't plan on staying in this wretched city another minute longer than I have to be.  You don't understand the urgency of my research.  If someone else got their hands on that book, I don't know what I'll do."

He shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest, looking at her with fluxing blue-green eyes.  "I'll make it worth your while somehow.  If what I'm looking for is indeed where I think it is, I could make a generous contribution to your library."  He omitted the fact that it was his father that he would get the money from. "And get you your job back.  Please.  This is a matter of life and death."

[visualspice]

The more the man spoke, the more he was drawing a crowd. And by the end of it, Artemis had no idea what to make of him! She had turned to him now and was slowly backing away from him as she walked, when her rear suddenly hit the stone lip of a fountain. Gasping, she turned around to it, spotted some guards headed there way before muttering, "Oh great."

Turning back to Caelwyn, she frowned.
"Look, all of your flim flam is drawing the guards this way." But at his last statement, she made a face. "Don't be so dramatic. What do you mean, life or death?"

[Lion]

"I mean just that!  Life AND Death," Caelwyn said.  He didn't pay any attention to the crowd and the guards that were making their way over here.  "I'm on the verge of a dramatic discover that could turn the very world as we know it on its head.  I'm talking about fortune and glory here.  Real glory, revealing the life and culture of a people long dead is all in a days work, but this, this goes further into the history of our own world.  What became of our ancestors and what will become of us."

His voice had gone low into a whisper as he spoke to Artemis and he had leaned in close enough when a guard suddenly came through the crowd demanding everyone to break it up.  "All right now!  What seems to be the problem here!?"  His eyes widened as he spotted Caelwyn standing in half his trousers and squared his shoulders.  "Are you harassing this woman!?  I'll have you know public nudity is a serious offense!"

"I'm not nude in public as you can plainly see, I have undergarments on!  And pants can be mended.  Just don't look if you're that prudish.  Goodness knows what kind of people you Connlaothians are.  But that's beside the point.  If you'll excuse us this is a private conversation," Caelwyn said with an eyeroll.

"Listen you!  I'm the law here and I -"

"Won't tolerate insolent behavior?  Then why don't you arrest yourself for loitering, that man over there for public intoxication from the sweat on his collar, the beadiness of his eyes and his wavering stance, that woman over there for adultery, as you can plainly see the tanline on her finger from a missing ring, and how skittish she looks, she obviously has recently washed her hair and is wearing a man's cologne."

The people in the crowd that he had pointed out all straightened and looked nervous, and the woman looked ruffled and clearly upset and the guard was speechless.

[visualspice]

The guards weren't the only one's speechless as Artemis gaped.
Maybe he was crazy! Not that she'd have to worry about him for much longer since the guards suddenly came back to their senses and roared,
"MEN! GET OVER HERE! WE'RE TAKING HIM TO THE DUNGEON!"
And he reached forward to snatch onto Caelwyn's arm.
"So just halt right there, sir! You are under arrest!" and before he'd have a chance to protest, iron shackles were suddenly slapped onto one of his wrists. "For harassment of those in the public and the city guards!"

[Lion]

"UNHAND ME YOU BUFFOONS!" Caelwyn roared and struggled.  But he didn't have to struggle for long before a hand clobbered him over the head and he suddenly fell unconscious.  His head hurt and throbbed as he became limp in their arm, dragging him down the steps.