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

[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."

[crimson_sister]

"Thank you." Lucille smiled back, looking genuinely pleased. "I have never been able to share my interest in literature before."

After a moment's thought, she added: "While you finish it, do you think they will have similar books in the library? I have heard there is one, but I haven't visited it yet."

[seeks_truth]

"They do," Cassandra agreed easily. "I... spend a great deal of time with one of the library aides. He has been an incredible... resource... in finding the best of such literature to read."

[crimson_sister]

"I was told the librarian could be a little bad tempered," Lucille said. "So would you mind giving me his name?"

She would go looking for the library as soon as possible.

[seeks_truth]

"His name is Garik Loran, though he will insist you use 'Face'," Cassandra said.

Unless you insisted on Garik back, which she had. "His shift is on Sunday."

[crimson_sister]

"I will keep that in mind," Lucille replied truthfully. "Tell me, do you have a favorite novel?"

[seeks_truth]

"There is this wonderful series about this shieldmaiden who..."

Sorry, Lucille. Cassandra would spend at least the next sixty seconds rambling about the shieldmaiden and her endeavours and fighting dragons and saving princes and it was so romantic and--

[crimson_sister]

"I have never read a novel about shield maidens," Lucille confessed, not at all bored by that rambling. "Or of princes needing saving. But it does sound terribly exciting."

Boys needed saving a lot, didn't they?