The day had been long, like each one before. The week had been long, like last week was. The month had been endless, feeling like a year, and years turned into decades into days into a haze. How long had she been working here? Too long to remember, but it was work she rather liked. Even if her fingers got dirty from the ink on the scroll and bound book pages, she always held a fondness for the scents and quirks of the library.
She wasn't a woman educated by noble standards, but had learned to read well enough on her own to get into a simply cataloging position at the library. It was perhaps because she was so persistent (and annoyingly so) that she had even gotten in in the first place, and now it was hard to get rid of Miss Artemis Longfellow, even now, when she was months into a depression of revenue and a pay cut where she worked at nearly half the salary she had before.
But she tried not to let that get to her. A job was a job, and during these times of war, she wasn't going to complain when many had suffered many losses elsewhere with the lives of men or with bad crops from the too hot summer.
This was one such summer day, where the air was sticky and hot and unforgiving, and one where even those who hated water prayed for rain. Tonight it seemed those prayers would be answered, for as the library was closing, the rains had began. The rumbling purr of thunder was a welcome sound, and the thrum of rain helped keep the other wise unnatural quiet of the large and vacant after hours library a bit more sane.
And Artemis liked the sound of rain, even as it was pounding on the ceiling over head. She had been climbing the ladders and humming to herself while putting away the volumes of Essyrni histories ( a period of the kings, reigns one thru the eleventh of the first Kings) when she noticed how dusty the tops of books shelves had become.
"Oh, this'll never do." She fished for the kerchief around her neck and undid it with one hand,t he other bracing herself against the heavy ladder that laid against the tall shelving. She shook the kerchief out and reached around and began to wipe the dust away. By now, she was several hours into her night shift when she noticed something moving between a break in the books.
She paused briefly and took a step down to have a better look see, but when she noticed there was some strange man on the other side, it startled her so much that she jerked back with a gasp, banging her head off the bottom of the shelf above her and forcing her to stumbling into the books below. And it didn't take much to dislodge the books from their position, as Artemis caught herself against the shelf and watched in horror as a pair of history books flapped down in a furry of pages towards the poor unfortunate soul below.
Fearful it might be her boss in whom she just may have hit over the head with a pair of history books, she jerked back from the book shelf out of fear, and out of sight, a hand sealing over her lip as her dark eyes were froze open in terror. Ansgar's name!? What should she do!?
Not wanting her boss to have to come around the other side to find her and climb up the ladder and throttle her himself, she knew she had to take responsibility, and was rushing down the ladder, blathering out all sorts of apologies as she rounded the aisle and came to the other side- only to come to a sudden stop with her mouth open and eyes wide in confusion to see it wasn't her boss there after hours- but a complete stranger.
And not just a plain jane stranger either- because the man had an absolute roguish charm to him that had left her completely and utterly frozen in place.
The night was draped in darkness as Noah, cloaked in the shadows, stealthily slipped through the library's ornate entrance after hours. His steps were silent against the polished marble floor, guided only by the faint glow of a hidden lantern casting a dim light. The rhythmic sound of raindrops tapping on the tall windows provided a soothing backdrop to his exciting objective.
Noah's eyes scanned the ancient tomes that lined the shelves, his breath low and measured. He sought the rumored hidden section, whispered about among scholars and treasure hunters alike. A subtle creak of a floorboard beneath his cautious steps resonated through the hushed atmosphere.
Eventually, he discovered a concealed door behind a bookshelf, its existence betrayed by a subtle draft. As he pushed it open, the room beyond revealed itself in a soft glow of ambient light. Antique books and scrolls adorned wooden tables, and the air carried the musty scent of ancient knowledge.
Raindrops traced intricate patterns on the windows, casting fleeting shadows across the room. Noah's fingers delicately traced the spines of dusty books, searching for clues about the first artifact. As he uncovered cryptic references and obscure maps, a revelation began to form in his mind—a lead that hinted at a forgotten temple nestled deep within a dense forest.
Got it. Content with his findings, Noah swiftly and silently departed the room, restoring it to its concealed state to erase any trace of his presence. He then hurriedly made his way toward the direction of the exit.
However, in the midst of his solitary pursuit, the library's silence was shattered by an unexpected collision. Noah, startled, found himself abruptly bumped into by a young woman - one with impressive full hair, cute freckles, and deep eyes. She also, more than likely, worked there. A temporary shock paralyzed him as he believed he was alone in this covert expedition. Swiftly regaining his composure, Noah flashed a disarming smile and adopted a casual tone.
"Well, I wasn't expecting company this time of night," he remarked, feigning surprise. "Are you a fellow night owl?"
"S.. s.. sir," she stammered out, whits sputtering back like an old horse. She took a reflexive step back and eyed the man up and down. "No one is to be in here. The library is closed. "
A frown strained her face as she peered towards rhe entryway and then towards rhe windows, not noticing anything open or out of the ordinary. And once that was settled (or rather.. decidedly not settled...) Artemis bent down abd began to hastily retieve the books that had attacked the man.
"How.. how have you managed to come in here again such an hour?" She asked, trying to hold back the fear that now laced her blood- because for all she knew.. this man was a criminal- a theif, aiming to steal from the library. She tried to be discrete about eyeing any of his pockets, but Artemis was as obvious as the rain.
Noah's reaction was swift, a well-practiced act of feigned surprise coupled with a hint of mild upset at her words. Without missing a beat, he mirrored her actions, bending down to assist with the books that had scattered across the floor. Amidst the literary chaos, he skillfully kept the particular book he had selected securely tucked under his arm.
As they both reached for different books simultaneously, their hands momentarily overlapped in the shared task of collecting the scattered volumes - a hand on each side on one solitary novel.
"I find myself a bit bewildered," he admitted, a charming white lie slipping effortlessly from his lips. He then gestured toward the entrance, where the door was cracked open slightly. "The door was unlocked."
Artemis stopped when they both went for the same book. And then he told her something that made her stomach drop.
She stood up suddenly, gasping as she couldn't believe she hasn't noticed that earlier.
"But.. but I swear I locked those doors hours ago!" She scrambled to check her pockets, producing the keyring with confused curiosity. Then she turned to the man.
"Locked or not.." she went on, shuffling the books in her arms as her reading spectacles slid down her nose. "Do you simply walk into a man's home just because it is unlocked? Surely you would have noticed nobody was inside and would have deduced the library was closed."
She gave him a scolding look as she reached out for the books he has been holding so she could add them to the pile in her arms.
"I may be a scholar," he said with a smile before returning to his feet. "But I am certainly no deducer. I apologize, madam; I truly meant you no trouble."
Back on his feet, he closely studied her face, noticing her spectacles had slid down the bridge of her nose. She extended her hand towards the book he had tucked away—the one he needed.
Rather than complying with her silent request, he tossed her a affectionate smile before using his other hand to gently lift her glasses and secure them back in place. His gaze lingered on her for a moment, warmth evident in his eyes. "There. Much better, don't you think, Miss...?"
He left the sentence open-ended, extending an invitation for her to share her name.
Although the gesture was simple, somehow it was enacted in a way that had taken her completely off guard. She was left gaping at him and clinging to the books she had before she flusteredly composed herself and gave a prim huff.
"Miss Longfellow. Artemis Longfellow. And as the librarian on duty I must insist you take your leave of rhe library this very instance. You can return tomorrow. We do open quite early," she assured. "Mister..?" And she raised her brows on question at his name, hoping her cheeks weren't as red as they felt.
Well, she seems to have forgotten about the book with that, he thought. Catching her attention, he said with a charming smile, "Noah Finley." Taking one of her hands, he raised it to his lips, gently kissing her knuckles. "Perhaps we'll meet again."
With that, he gracefully complied with her request to leave, walking past her with the book in tow.
The kiss to the hand immediately made her entire brain shut down. She couldn't think. She couldn't blink. She couldn't breath, talk or even move.
And then the man was heading towards the door. It was perfectly acceptable that he ought to leave. She had clearly let him know it was inappropriate and-
Gasping, she noted the book he held.
"Sir!" She called out, rushing to him. "Please wait! You forgot something! "
By now she had caught up to him but was already out of breath.
"Sir.." she gestured towards his arm. "The book..?" And she put her hand out, expectantly.
As Noah neared the exit, Artemis unexpectedly caught up to him, her presence almost unnoticed until he sensed her beside him. Letting out a quiet breath, he turned to face her with a subtle smile playing on his lips.
"This?," he asked innocently, a hint of charm in his tone. "I was just about to borrow this. Does this library not adhere to the honor system?"
She frowned at him but kept her chin up. She wasn't about to get bullied out of her duties.
"These books are meant to share with the world... but only within the facility. If we leant then out to anyone whom wanted them, well.. we'd hardly have any books left for all to read. "
Really... honor system? Was this how Serenian libraries worked? Goodness if it were.. how on earth had they ever kept a single book?
"If you want to read it, you'll have to do it at your leisure here. Or petition the head librarian during open hours."
In a desperate attempt to elude Artemis and make a swift exit from the library with the coveted book, Noah opted for a more charming approach. Closing the distance between them, he flashed a charismatic smile and inquired, "And who might this head librarian be?"
One more step closer.
"What time does the library open?"
Another step, the distance almost nonexistent.
"Perhaps I could just bring it back before opening hours tomorrow. It would be like it was never gone.. Artemis."
Her face heated to a hundred degrees as he approached. And the answers eluded her as they deflated outside of her mind at how quickly she began to feel utter panick at how close he actually was...
Wait.. right...
She would not be swindled by this trespasser. She grabbed the book suddenly and gave a tug.
"Rules are rules, I'm afraid. "
And she definitely didn't get paid well enough for this sort of thing!
"Now, if you'll excuse me.. I have a library to lock up..."
The library's once quiet ambiance became the backdrop for the unfolding spectacle as Artemis persisted in her attempt to retrieve the book from Noah's determined grasp. Their tug-of-war created a whimsical dance, the book serving as a peculiar centerpiece in their amusing struggle.
Not one to shy away from seizing the moment, Noah saw an opportunity to inject a dose of himself into the situation. As Artemis tugged, he smoothly maneuvered closer, nearly a breath apart, a mischievous glint in his eyes. With a playful smile, he quipped, "Oh, Artemis, at least let me buy you dinner first."
She hadn't even noticed her tugging had brought him closer- and she immediate flushed once he brought it up. And then what he implied...
Reflexively, she slapped him.
"I am not some.. some.. woman you can find and pay on the streets for.. for..." she glared at him, realizing what he was trying to accomplish and narrowed her eyes, her spectacles having slipped down her nose as they wrestle.
"I... am a librarian and I will not tolerate such belittling from a trespasser! Now if you'll please.. unhand the book before I get the guards involved!"
Upon her resounding slap, the impact reverberated through the quiet library, bouncing off the lines of towering bookshelves. This girl had some fire in her after all.
Reacting with feigned offense, he delicately placed a hand on his cheek, his eyes portraying a hurt soul – a performance for effect. "Well, you are a woman!" he retorted, using his free hand to make a theatrical motion up and down her figure. "But, you win! Have it!"
With a swift motion, he pretended to relinquish his hold on the book he was holding, a deceptive move designed to catch the librarian off guard. The book dropped to the floor between them with a resounding thud, its cover and pages flipping open as they settled by their feet.
She gasped in horror and immediately dropped to her knees, fetching up the book and glaring at him.
"Look what youve done! The bindings come off!" He wailed, frantically trying to press the loose bound pages back into the book when something unseen tittered to the floor and rolled unseen under her skirts.
"Oh, hush, I can fix this!" he swiftly responded, dropping to his knees to address her concerns. The urgency mirrored in her expression resonated with him – that book needed to remain in good condition. However, as he attempted to work on the bindings, his hands fumbled and wrestled with hers, achieving absolutely nothing.
The awkward struggle ceased when a distinct click-clack echoed on the floor, followed by the sound of something rolling and stopping just under the woman's attire. "Ma'am," he said softly, a hint of hesitation in his voice, "I may need to get into your pants."
She gasped them slapped his hand away.
"You will do no such things!"
And besides.. she didn't wear pants.
"I will kindly ask again that you leave."
Realizing he had misspoken, he pressed on despite the confusion. As she swatted away his hand, he intercepted it with his own, meeting her gaze. "No," he attempted to correct himself, "something from the book rolled under your skirt."
And, for reasons unknown to him, he was getting a bad feeling about it.
She huffed and continued to argue.
"No doubt pieces of the book you're so intent on destroying!"
And as if she'd fall for any of his tricks.
"Now if you'll please, I have a book to repair and a door to lock up!"
His face flashed red, actually offended this time. "I would never destroy a book on purpose! I can probably fix it quicker than you can!"
Noah was starting to let Artemis get the better of him, clearly.
"As if I'm to believe that after what you foolishly did to this one!?"
"Yes!"
Was he honestly arguing with her?!
"You!" She gasped. "I don't even know you! You.. you..!" She looked as if she were mad enough she might hit him with the book.
"This.. this isn't worth my time." Huffing she began to stomp towards the entrance. "I'm calling the guards ."
But she was barely a few feet away when she came to an abrupt halt-
Because standing in the door way was a tall, dark figure shrouded in a thick cloak.
Despite the circumstances, the way the woman was getting so easily flustered was amusing. Amusing, and a bit cute, be might add. But soon she was on her feet, rushing away with threats skipping from her lips.
That's why he was surprised when she stopped, but his eyes quickly found the source that blocked her.
He stood, cautiously moving forward and putting himself between Artemis and the strange figure standing in the doorway. It was a tall figure, a man perhaps? He couldn't be certain as the face was concealed and the cloak kept things even more a mystery.
"How charming," Noah said, an eyebrow cocked. "How can we help you? Sorry, but the library is closed." With that last comment, he briefly glanced over at Artemis, mouthing the words, "some people."
The figure didn't answer. Instead, it ran straight at them.
It was only then did she notice the flash of something metallic in the person's hand and began to instinctively back away, gasping as she backed away into Noah.
The blade was out now and pointed at them both.
"The Savignaght has been disturbed. I can feel it's reawakening bonds," came a raspy voice. Then he noted the worn, leather book in her grasp and pointed the blade directly at her.
"That book. Give it to me!" The cloaked figure commanded. "Or Nahmshein, I will cut you both down to choke and die on your own blood!"
Noah, standing between Artemis and the cloaked intruder, felt the weight of the situation escalate. He cautiously took the book, his senses on high alert. The intruder, armed and seemingly capable, presented an unexpected challenge. Not that Noah wasn't capable himself, but he had hardly prepared himself for a gentleman's duel that day. He hadn't even had tea!
Not willing to see harm befall Artemis, the woman who served as an innocent bystander, Noah addressed the cloaked figure with a taunt. "You want it, big guy?" he challenged, a sly grin forming. "Take it!" Without hesitation, he hurled the book at the intruder, the satisfying thunk as it collided with their face marking a brief moment of triumph.
In the same breath, Noah spun around to face Artemis. Taking her hand urgently, he wasted no time. "Run!"
Artemis gasped when the book was taken and unceremoniously hurled at the cloaked figures head. Then she yelped as Noah pulled her along, she stumbling over her own two feet and kicking whatever it had been that had fallen between her legs. She gasped and now seemed to pull him along as she headed towards the object, stumbling in midrun before she scooped it up. She gave a little triumphant smile- one that soon fell completely off her face as the figure behind them seemed to roar.
As Artemis stumbled over her own feet, Noah felt a surge of panic rising within him. He tightened his grip on her hand, determined to keep her safe as they fled from the cloaked figure. But then, just as they reached the fallen object, everything changed.
The object began to emit a soft, otherworldly glow, illuminating the darkness around them. Noah's eyes widened in astonishment as he watched the light dance and shimmer, casting strange shadows in their surroundings. And then, in an instant, they were enveloped by the light.
Suddenly, they were no longer in the library, but suspended in mid-air, surrounded by nothing but blinding brightness. Noah's heart raced as he exchanged a look of disbelief with Artemis, his eyes wide with shock. "Oh shit," he said. And then, with a sudden jolt, they were plummeting through the sky, hurtling towards the sandy desert below.
The wind whipped past them as they fell, their screams lost in the rushing air. Noah's mind raced as he tried to make sense of what was happening, his thoughts a jumble of confusion and fear. And then, with a bone-jarring impact, they crashed into the soft sand, tumbling and rolling until they came to a stop.
For a moment, they lay there, dazed and disoriented, the hot desert sun beating down on them. Noah groaned as he struggled to push himself upright, his head spinning from the sudden journey.
He peered at Artemis in utter disbelief. "I don't like what you've done with the place."
Artemis Longfellow could not stop coughing. It felt as though sand were lodged into any and every orifice- including the very depths of her throat. And the fall, though jarring, was nothing compared to the impact if their fall and their subsequent tumbling down the large dune of sand.
Everything hurt, and she was certain her wrist must be broken- as she curled it against her body protectively and continued to cough out the remains of sand inside her mouth.
But then she paused at the man's comment-
And just couldn't help but continue to stare. Really...really !? He would make some off handed, joking comment now? Of all things to say or do..
But she simply blinked, eyes threatening tears as her gaping mouth turned into a whimpering pout as she continued to look all around them at the seemingly endless expanse od the desert. Wind tosseled at her hair, forcing her to wince as the sand entangled on her already fussed up locks, tittered against her face. She was forced to shield her eyes with her uninjured hand as she remained, knees deep in the sand- a single shoe missing from one of her feet and her eyes just incredible wild, bewildered at this strange turn or events.
"I must have fallen asleep," she finally deduced. "And this is all some silly dream."
But how could she deny the blazing heat of the sun? And the sting and grit of sand? And the racing of her heart?
It was only then did she realize she had been gripping onto the object that had transported them here and slowly opened her shaking hand to look at it.