Library

[mels, awkwardice queen]

She nodded, a little disappointed that he didn't like reading, and just listened, running her finger along the spine. She shook her head. "It's not all that stalker-y... You can learn a lot about a person without even talking to them. Just watching." That's what she did. She felt like she was close friends with many of the customers at the library, just from watching them and the books they read.

[[deleted user]]

"Really? It seems like you've done that before. Have you watch anyone in here? Anyone, the other girls maybe, whoever, what do you think? Do you find anyone interesting?"

[mels, awkwardice queen]

She shrugged. "I'm not the best at... Talking to people sometimes, I guess. So I just watch them. And... No. I've mostly been in my room since I got here, actually. Only left my room for dinner... And I explored a little when I first got here, just the entrance hall and the women's room. I met a couple girls."

[[deleted user]]

"Nah, you'll get plenty of time to explore. But, let me guess, your first instinct isn't to wander around randomly, but to come back here, to this library, as soon as possible, to read. And to organize because apparently, people who lives here are crappily messy." he said, pointing at the mountains of books that supposed to be on their shelves. "For the record, in my defense, I never put the book I've read back to the shelf, so next time I come--which I rarely have time to-, I can find that book easily."

[mels, awkwardice queen]

She blushed, looking down at the book in her hands. "Maybe. I have to say, your guess is pretty accurate, though. And this library sort of is a mess..." She gave him her best librarian scowl, shaking her head, and trying to keep the smile off her face. "You should always put books back where you found them."

[[deleted user]]

"Yes, Ma'am. Noted." he chuckled. "So, tell me, do you have favorite book? Something that you can't get bored of no matter how many times you read it?"

[mels, awkwardice queen]

She looked down at the book in her hands. "Well, really most of them, I guess. I almost never get tired of re-reading books. There's almost always something you missed the first time, or something you forgot."

[[deleted user]]

"Yeah, people said that you'll always feel like it's your first time no matter how often you read a particular book." he nodded. "Which reminds me, I also have a favorite book, a fiction. And there's this part that I can't get rid off from my head," Perry said, bringing himself to sit straight. "I think, immediately, that there is something wrong with us, perhaps unfixable. Sometimes I feel it's his personal game, that he's in some sort of undeclared contest for impenetrability." he quoted it.

[mels, awkwardice queen]

She frowned, thinking. "I actually don't think I've read that one... What's the title?"

[[deleted user]]

"It's called Gone Girl. Well, it's a story about married couple. And there's kidnapping, murder, and twisted plot. It drives you crazy. Makes me kind of afraid to get married, that book is like toxic, spreading all over me like cancer. And I don't even read so many books, but that one is a winner. A catastrophic winner."

[mels, awkwardice queen]

"Interesting... Is it a horror novel? That might explain why I've never read it."

[[deleted user]]

"Crime, mystery, with very strong language." he answered. "What? You don't like horror? Why?"

[mels, awkwardice queen]

"Ah... Strong language." She shrugged. "I've never really had opportunity to read anything good. And quite honestly the genre just doesn't appeal to me that much when there's so many other fascinating books to read..."

[[deleted user]]

"Is that so? What kind of book do you find fascinating then? Fairy tale? Romance? A book about journey of a little girl with her puppy, travelling across the sea?"

[mels, awkwardice queen]

She chuckled, a real smile on her lips. "Fantasy. Taking you away to another world, and all of that... Escapist literature, really. And I have to say a girl and her puppy traveling across the ocean sounds like quite the intriguing story. I'll bet the dog doesn't make it to the end."

[[deleted user]]

"No, don't say that, I don't want the puppy to die. Poor puppy, let him live." he moaned like a little boy.

[mels, awkwardice queen]

"Hm, alright... The girl and the dog make it across the sea, but in a plot twist ending, the girl dies and the dog is left to fend for itself, mourning her..."

[[deleted user]]

"No, no, no, no." he moaned again. "I don't want the puppy to be sad. He'll die mourning, eventually."

[mels, awkwardice queen]

"What if another nice girl comes and adopts him?" She asked.

[[deleted user]]

"Well, I guess that could work." he shrugged. "But is she genuinely nice? What if she gets bored and abandon the puppy? This is serious, Rosaline, we can't let anything bad happen to the puppy."

[mels, awkwardice queen]

She sighed. "Alright, you've got me. The girl is secretly a part of a conspiracy to kidnap all the puppies of the world."

[[deleted user]]

"She what? Ugh, that is evil." he squinted his eyes, looking disgusted. "Okay, I don't want to know more about that. Those puppies will suffer and just by thinking about it makes me want to cry."

[mels, awkwardice queen]

"And," she continued as if she hadn't heard him, "just as we fear for our hero the puppy's life, him and the other puppies band together and defeat the cruel conspiracy to all live happily ever after."

[[deleted user]]

"Is that really the end? Or is it followed by mind-blowing, twisted, epilogue?" he asked curiously. "Cause if it's not the real ending, I will mentally scream."

[mels, awkwardice queen]

"Hm, I think I'll leave it open ended. Maybe a cliff hanger, so you'll read the next one."

[[deleted user]]

"Oh, I only read stand-alone book." he admitted. "I ain't got time to read often, so I prefer to read something that won't leave me hanging."

[mels, awkwardice queen]

"Oh, but series are the best! The story keeps going, and you get to keep learning about the characters and the storyline..."

[[deleted user]]

"Alright then," he gave a challenging smile. "Give me your recommendation. A series that will change my mind."

[mels, awkwardice queen]

She chewed her lip thoughtfully. The Lord of the Rings was one of her favourites, but it was long. And extremely dull at times. "Try... The Inheritance Cycle? It's not the best writing, nor the best plot, but it's interesting enough. Keeps you wanting to read. And it was written by a 16 year old, so that's impressive in itself...

[[deleted user]]

((ERAGON ASDFGHJKL *rea is fangirling*))

"The Inheritance Cycle? Alright, then. Challenge accepted. Give me a week, and we'll see if I change my mind. Thou, I won't promise you anything, if I make it to the half of book two, it'll be a miracle already."

[mels, awkwardice queen]

She laughed. "I'll give you two. I'm not sure even I could read all four in a week..."

((I love them XD))

[[deleted user]]

((I read all of them in four days.))

"It's a deal, then. Two weeks, and I will come back to you. But first, I have to find those books.." he turned his head, gaping at countless books on library shelves behind him. "Let me guess, it's fantasy, yes?"

[mels, awkwardice queen]

She nodded. "Fantasy. Or Young Adult fiction, if you have that sort of sorting system... I don't know what yours is like."

[[deleted user]]

"Well, just pretty basic dictionary catalog. But we don't have anyone who specifically take care of this library, so I don't think those books are on the place they're supossed to be." he sighed. "But, nah, I'll find it. I'm good at finding thing."

[mels, awkwardice queen]

"You don't have a librarian?" She asked, shocked. "There must be a royal librarian of some sort..."

[[deleted user]]

"Well, we have. She's on maternity break. She's not coming back until next month." he explained. "Well, that's it, yes? I'll find those books, try to read them in two weeks, and you will be the first to know about my opinion. But for now, let's go back to Dining Hall, what do you say?"

[mels, awkwardice queen]

"For a whole month, you're without a librarian?" She asked, still shocked. "A whole month?" At his words, she quickly ducked her head, her cheeks slightly flushed. This usually happened. She could be getting along fine with someone, and then something would happen to remind her that she was talking to a stranger. "The dining hall sound great, um, Your Highness. Thank you for showing me the library."

[[deleted user]]

"Well, I've got you now, ain't I? If I need an expert in libary-thingy, I'll come seeking a help from you first." he grinned. "And you're welcome. Glad you like it, and sorry for the mess."

((To da dining hall!!))

[mels, awkwardice queen]

((XD to the dining hall!))

[dyanne, explanations queen]

[Ahahaha am I supposed to post?]

[[deleted user]]

((OH MY GOD I AM SO SORRY. IT'S MY TURN ACTUALLY, BUT I AM BEING EXTREMELY UNPRODUCTIVE RIGHT NOW, SO COULD YOU, DYANNE? PRETTY PLEASE? I'LL GIVE YOU TWINKIE))

[dyanne, explanations queen]

[I'D PREFER A MILKY WAY BUT CAN'T BE CHOOSY SO BLESS YOUR SOUL OF COURSE I WILL REA DARLING]

Heather walked into the library, and looked, with amusement to see that the lamp she had knocked over was still lying pitifully on the ground, broken glass from the lightbulb shattered in the corner and she ironically felt a surge of triumph at the pathetic book lying there with that pathetic lamp, knowing it had been her that had caused the fall of those objects. Her eyes glanced at the corner for no more than a split second, and then skirted around the rest of the vast, formidable library.

"So, your majesty, is that what you want to be called? I mean, I never really want to be called by my full name but seeing how you're the prince, the fact you remembered not only my first, but also my last name is quite an accomplishment, and if this room were not a library, I'd applaud you for that, senior, monsieur, sensei... no, that's not the right word, is it?"

She pretended he were the not the prince, the damn top of the top, ignorant, useless, b*stard but Heather knew that Queen Riley had once been a Five. A Five had given birth to royalty, and it gave Heather a sense of grim satisfaction to know that some of them had the smallest of chances to move up, although, she wasn't sure if marrying the f**king crown prince and giving birth to the next motherf**king crown prince was what anyone would consider up.

These thoughts were thoughts of the past, and now she was consumed in the present, a fire ablaze in her eyes of passion and wit and talkativity. She was good at forcing herself to forget, someone would have to give her that, and studying the prince and his black eyes out of the corner of her eye she admitted that he was a privlieged b*stard, by all means, he was probably not one anyone would call ignorant, and the boyishness, the life in dark, deep eyes gave her a sense of... hope.

[dyanne, explanations queen]

[Dude Rea it's completely cool don't stress about getting back to this one I get it, you're amazing ahahaha I'm still dying over the great room thing too don't even try to apologize i know you haven't commented but when you do DON'T APOLOGIZE I'M NOT LETTING YOU OKAY okay I love you ahaha what am I talking about no I don't you little life shatterer you and your leo-who-actually-has-a-heart what a cold hearted bitch you are jk jk jk i love you bro]

[[deleted user]]

"I don't know, Sir Percival from House of Shreave sounds cooler, but heck, that is a dang long name." he answered. Lightly and casually like usual. Like he always be. It was funny, considering that he carried all the weight of Illea on the his back. "And I like your name; Heather Saoirse Patenaude. A kind of name that stick in your mind, hard to forget. What? You don't expect me to know all the names of you girls?"

[dyanne, explanations queen]

"Thirty Five names? There's around two-hundred girls I went dancing with for ten years and out of the two-hundred, I know around ten by name, Sir Percival from House of Shreave. How long did it take? Tell me your secrets, oh wise one, so one day I may brag to Illea how the crown prince taught me how to memorize not just the first and last but also the middle names of thirty-five or so people, managing to sound highly intellectual, and just a little bit stalkerish at the same time." Banter. She was used to banter. She was used to feigned casualness and so long as she focused on right now, on glancing this way and that every once in a while to try and read the names of all the ridiculously titled books in the romance section, she believed she could survive the night without throwing another lamp.

[[deleted user]]

"You're one cheeky girl, Heather Patenaude." he laughed in amusement. "Well, I have no secret, I just did. I remember the names of all the people who work here, live here. And you're right, it's kind of stalkerish, I won't deny that. By the way, I'm not trying to sound like a smartarse, I just think that I need to know and try to understand everybody who's associated with me. Not knowing their names and end up calling them, 'Hey, you, Mister Whassarname!' makes me feel kind of like a jerk."

[dyanne, explanations queen]

"Oh, does that make me a jerk, then?" Heather asked in mock worry, giving a flash of a smile at his laugh. "I'm afraid that I'm at a loss for words, now-- I would ask you how your night has been but I'm assuming, and correct me if I'm wrong here, that it has been a mix of amusement and exhaustion seeing how interviewing, what, fifteen, twenty girls before me about how pretty they look and feigning astonishment at the fact that they are avid readers when they are Threes and their parents are librarians and English professors would be rather taxing for anyone. Should I sing you a song? If you really want, I could do some interpretative dance for you on this carpet so you'll have an excuse not to talk, Sir Percival from... ah, and there I go, proving my point about how terrible I am with name, your honor from the House of Shreave," Heather joked with a cheeky wink.

[Heather. What. are. you. doing. are you actually being nice. oh wow. Shad. Heather. is. being. nice.]

[[deleted user]]

"I have this thought, crossing my mind, just now, that if I take you to another place, you wouldn't go all cheekyzilla on me. Forgive me for being idiotic, I should've showed you Music Room instead--you play Cello, yes? Man, all the cellist are so good looking, is that a conventional, unwritten law, or just simply the nature of you cellists?-" he babbled. "And if you're curious about those girls, I'm afraid I don't kiss and tell."

[dyanne, explanations queen]

"Your wish is my command, Sir, and quite literally, I would do anything for those butter rolls they were serving in the dining hall earlier. Oh, alas, you have found cheekyzilla's weakness, me and my godd*mn mouth... Sh- I meant, shoot, pardon my French Sir Percival from excessive syllablania." At the Prince's kiss and tell comment, one of Heather's eyebrows shot up considerably higher than the other. "Am I coming off as nosy? Because if I am, you have my full permission to give me a pair of ridiculous glasses and ship me off the Skeeta Reeter. As for kissing and telling, if that is the case, than I'm afraid I must demand a kiss," she teased. "For I'm afraid my cheekyzilla alter-ego must remain hidden-- I don't think Illea would like knowing one of their Selected is also a terrifying, ruthless monster."

[[deleted user]]

"We can stop that awfully-long-name nonsense right there. Second thought, I hate Sir Percival from House of Shreave, it sounds crappily lame. Just call me Perry, it sounds familiar to my ears, makes this conversation easier." he said. "And honestly, so far today, you are the most exasperating girl I ever talk to, and for some unexplainable nonsense thoughts that have been humming inside my brain, I find it tempting. We'll make great partner in crime for each other, and I am not going to give you to Skeeter, thou, I'd love to see if you can rattle her cage and drive her insane." She was teasing about being monster and anything, and at that, Perry just laughed. Laughed it off, laughed it all. "Well, Illea has me as the possible future ruler, I don't think having you as a terrifying monster is something to worry about."