Fourth Floor Common Room, Tuesday Morning

[seeks_truth]

Cassandra clomped into the common room still wearing her full armor: she had just done her rounds of the island, and then engaged in some sparring at the salle. Soon, she would retreat to her room to take off the armor and perhaps begin taking her daily notes, but for the moment, she felt she had earned a moment to sit.

And so it was that a heavily armored butt hit the sofa. She sighed, took off her helmet, and pulled her ponytail free from where it had been wedged against the lower plates.

She set the helmet down on the table. Then she glanced furtively into the hallway, ensuring no one was there before she produced a thin volume from somewhere between the plates. There were hearts on the cover. And swooning.

Shh. She didn't want Gwen to make fun of her again.

[[ open! ]]

Comments

[seeks_truth]

It was a young adult romance novel about a futuristic knightess and her love interest, who inexplicably, due to some illness, could not wear shirts. The cover was rather indicative of this.

But it was face-down on the table, so.

"I am Cassandra Pentaghast," Cassandra said, the flush ebbing away from her features. "And no, I do not believe I have had the pleasure. Welcome to the island; I hope it has not inconvenienced you so far."

[crimson_sister]

"Thank you, and no, I don't believe it has, possibly apart from the kitchen," Lucille replied, pleased that the girl had manners and so far wasn't being patronizing about adjusting to things.

"Have you been her long?"

Don't worry, Cassandra. She would ask about the book soon enough.

[seeks_truth]

There were people back home who would be tremendously amused at the idea someone thought Cassandra had manners. Then again, on this island, anyone with any training in etiquette might easily be considered as such.

"I arrived on the island a year ago," she said. "By accident. I have since left and returned on purpose, even if it insists on being vexing."

[crimson_sister]

Well, she wasn't carrying around a pig, taking photos with tiny machines and so far she wasn't dull and unable to hold a conversation. That counted as good for Lucille.

"I've been told it can be," Lucille nodded. "I expected to go to school, but certainly not in the future."

[seeks_truth]

"It is simply the future for you, then?" Cassandra asked, studying her. "This appears to be an entirely different world than my own."

[crimson_sister]

"Yes, I when I left my home it as 1885," she replied, offering a polite smile. "Is your world at all like this one?"

[seeks_truth]

"No," Cassandra said simply. "Though your dress is rather more similar to what I am accustomed to than anything I have seen here previously."

In fact, the way Lucille was dressed was downright Nevarran, in the more conservative styles Cassandra preferred if she absolutely had to dress up.

[crimson_sister]

"Oh?" Lucille looked pleased. It might not explain why Cassandra wore armour, but she approved that not everyone looked like they were walking around in their underwear, or worse.

"So, is that book from your world?" She nodded at the book on the table. It was almost funny to use the expression 'your world'.

[seeks_truth]

"The style is similar to what is worn formally in my home country," Cassandra explained. "It is good to see someone wearing something less... ostentatious, though my gifts do not lay with fashion."

She preferred wearing armor, both of the plate and the leather variety, and tended to wear long sweaters and jeans if she had to dress according to local custom.

"... ... and no," she said, her tone suddenly speeding up some. "It is, ah. From a shop. In the village."

[crimson_sister]

"That's one way of putting it," Lucille said with a snort. "But I've been told I will adjust." She sounded as if she thought this unlikely.

"A shop? There is a bookshop?" That was exciting, and Lucille decided to find it as soon as possible. But now she reached out for Cassandra's book instead, because clearly it was embarrassing in some way.

[seeks_truth]

Any response to Lucille's question would have to wait, as Cassandra's eyes went wide. "No!"

Beat. "I. It is not a very good book."

[crimson_sister]

Lucille pulled back her hand, making a point of frowning. "Not good? Then why are you reading it?"

[seeks_truth]

"... I don't kn--"

Cassandra sighed.

"That is a lie, I am sorry. I simply enjoy tales of great passion, but it is not... great literature by any measure."

[crimson_sister]

"Passion? Oh, but that isn't neccessarily... bad is it?"

Not that there had been many of that kind in the library at home, but Lucille had read those she had found, which were more of the gothic romance kind.

"I enjoy novels like that myself, for lighter reading," she confessed.

[seeks_truth]

That might have been the first smile Cassandra had produced in the entire conversation.

"This time and place has a great range of them," she said. "I do love them dearly. I believe that passion is necessary in life. Both in struggle and in romance."

[crimson_sister]

She got a smile in return, one of Lucille's unusual ones which were actually genuine.

"So do I," she said. "Passion makes us do things that..." - she looked for the word - "...by which we surprise ourselves."

She reached for the book again, hoping Cassandra now would find it acceptable.

[seeks_truth]

"It also fills us with determination, ensures that we take action when we need to."

She made no move to stop Lucille from taking the novel, this time.

[crimson_sister]

"Yes," Lucille agreed as she picked up the book. Looking at the cover her face took on a surprised expression and she asked: "Is the hero in... such a state of undress?"

It wasn't a bad thing. But a book with a cover like that would not have been found in the library at home.

[seeks_truth]

"This culture can be rather Orlesian in its embrace of undress," Cassandra said lightly. "Though in this case, it is entirely justified by the story, I assure you."

In that yes, the male love interest had a very convenient disease.

[crimson_sister]

"It is?"

Sorry Cassandra, Lucille was curious.

[seeks_truth]

"The heroine of the tale spends the book searching for a cure for his terrible disease," Cassandra said earnestly, and suddenly she sounded entirely like a teenage girl. "Wearing any fabric above his waist leaves him in unbearable pain."

[crimson_sister]

"What a loyal young lady," Lucille said, also quite earnest. "But does the disease cause... sores?"

That would make it a lot less, well, exciting.

[seeks_truth]

"No," Cassandra said, shaking her head. "It is more like an extremely painful allergy, I suppose. His skin reddens."

The author had a field day with her descriptions of that.

[crimson_sister]

"Oh!" That sounded a lot more attractive. Letting her curiosity overcome her habit of keeping a distance, Lucille asked:

"Would you consider letting me borrow it, once you've finished reading it?"

[seeks_truth]

"I... would not be opposed to doing so," Cassandra said, smiling bigger. "I am halfway into it, and it is quite short."