Perhaps, I am sleep-deprived...
I lay down without trying to fall asleep. Orion stood outside my door for a while- he did not ask me anything. I said nothing to him. Perhaps he understood, he always does. And so he waited on me, like every other time.
Violet was about to go home in a couple of days. I told her that there's a letter that I would like to send to my father. I also informed her about the books that father had mentioned and asked her if she could look into them.
"And while you're at it, what do you know about current situation of things in The Mystics?"
She said she has no idea but assured me she'd get back with some information.
In about a week, the Kingdom of Glaze will hail its heir and Orion still did not have enough leads to enter into the Kingdom. Time was running against us. At this point there were problems approaching us in all directions and none of them were anywhere near being solved.
The evening I was at the bookstore, I decided to make the best of it. I kept my usual countenance for Ivy so she'd be interfering less with my personal works. I asked her about new books if there had been any. She told me that Cultures section will have a new addition in few days. This was the section where some information about mythical kingdoms had been stored. I was content to find that I'd have something new.
Ivy asked me if I could stay an hour extra today because she had some important work that needed my assistance. I agreed as she offered me bonus for the extra hours plus dinner. It was a good deal. After the store was closed, I followed her to the store room. Many new cardboard boxes were stored there; sealed. She told me that some of the stuff was contained with special binding spells so she needed help from me since doing alone would take a lot of time.
I agreed and we divided the boxes. I asked her if I could look into the contents of the boxes and she did not mind. It felt safe to ask her where she gets her books from since she was the one who allowed me to unravel the spells of these, so I did. She did not look at me when she answered, "It's an antiques store right outside the town. They have the largest collection of books one had ever seen in his lifetime. They allow people to look into the library too but that comes with good cost."
"I see. Sounds interesting. Can I visit?"
"Of course. It is a perfect place for people like us who like to poke their noses into hardcovers in times of peace." She patted my shoulders lightly and walked to get us tea.
The box that I opened had many books with hauntingly alluring covers. These were a collection of Grimoires, and I could not think of why would someone here want to purchase these books? I wanted to look into them, I was sure I had not seen these before. There had to be new things written in here. But I needed her permission and this was not the right time to get one so I withheld the idea for some other time.
Ivy returned with tea, I insisted on completing the last sorting of books before joining her. She waited.
"You're really hard-working for a royal princess. Why would you leave the luxuries of high palace for these works? I would not leave my home for reasons as paltry."
The way she put it was rude, it offended me, I admit. But she hardly knows the real reason I left home so I'd leave her at that. "I have not abandoned home."
"But the way you're living here, in this one town for so long, does that not imply it? Moreover, you still don't seem to plan on moving ahead to other places. So much love for-"
"So much love for a town on the outskirts of the world, I must be quite like you," I completed before she could come up with another something to get on my nerves, "Am I, Ivy?"
Lately Ivy had grown to be more intrusive and I could not apprehend her intentions of getting me cornered.
It will be a while more before we will actually be on each other's throat to save ourselves, I thought.
She laughed it off and we drank the tea in silence. Lavender Tea, it was something I really needed right now. She offered me to join her for dinner but I just needed my bed now, so I had to deny a free dinner offer that comes rarely. I knew I was going to regret it later. But I had been sleep-deprived and because of that I haven't been able to work at my fullest so it took priority.
The work completed with a two newly added bookshelves in the bookstore that already had too many bookshelves. I collected my bonus and headed home. Orion joined me on the way home and we walked together.
"You look more tired than ever, what kind of labor had you two been doing inside the closer doors, Nia?" He grinned as he said.
"Things behind closed doors should stay inside. Why would an outsider like yours take interest in women's affairs, I wonder." I replied.
"Funny how that fatigue never gets to your sharp tongue." He said as he slowed his pace and subconsciously so did I. I had an amused curve on my face when we were by the end of the road, we almost reached the shore but now we were not moving anymore.
Suddenly he was too close to me, his palm were over my lips and his gaze over me. Dazed, I avoided his eyes.
"Someday," he whispered, "I would have to tame that tongue of yours or it will ruin me." His hands were not forceful but they asserted a different kind of vigor on me, and none of his words were meaninglessly spilled, it felt as if he meant every single one of it. I found the courage and looked up to him, our eyes met.
"Why don't you try it?" said I without breaking the gaze.
"Nyx, I-"