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Description
The moonlight streaked across the marbled floor of the library casting dim lumination inbetween the towering bookshelves, allowing the lone man to catch glimpses of text from the ancient tome he was pouring over, although the candle at his side had burned out several hours prior he was so enraptured in the story being told it was hard to tear his eyes off the page for even a single second, so the meager light, although a frustration and struggle, was worth the pain.

Lifting the corner of the page the man paused, a frown furrowing his dark brow. Absently he placed his calloused hand on the worn pages of the tome. The moonlight had been obscured leaving the image in darkness until a light emerged.

A hand startled him out of his trance, jumping out of place in fright he knocked over the stack of books on his right, and casting the nub of his candle somewhere far in the distance. It would be near impossible to find now in this endless gloom. Looking up he adjusted his glasses and tried to redeem himself for his coward filled action, although seeing the face of the one to disturb him only made his frown deepen.

"Taera, spirits of blessed flight why would you not announce yourself first?" his tone was accusatory but kept light with good cheer.

The woman in question, Taera, sat down next to him with a heavy sigh. Leaning her head forward to look at him she smiled and explained herself, "I find you more lost in your books at this hour than any time these days." she shoves him gently, "Revin, you know I could call your blasted name for hours and not catch even the slightest whiff of your attention."

Revin fakes distress at the touch, "Not everyone can hear your quiet mouse voice without having those gigantic ears like you do." his turn to poke a little fun, it would be easy to find a point to make with an appearance as exotic and foreign as hers.

Taera scoffs and crosses her arms, "You humans and your jokes, one day I hope to hear something a bit more original that teasing my tattoos or my ears." she shakes her head and resumes her casual demeanor of before, "Besides, Aegar was getting worried, it's late and he was getting concerned. What could be so interesting you refuse to return home?"

A change of topic, clearly either she was bored of sitting around listening to Aegar whine about some new issue or other, or something else was on her mind. Better to humor her than ask about the shards of dreams and stories going through her head. Last time Revin spent too long delving into her troubling thoughts they woke the next day hungover on silver-lily wine the next county over due to a vision she received.

"Well, do you have a light? It would be easier to show you." wordlessly the elven woman reached into a pouch at her belt and produced a small silver cylinder.

"I borrowed an enchanted candle from his shop," a pause, "I did in fact ask, but the great dark is coming in a few moons, I didn't want to be caught off guard like Jeory last year."

Revin shivered at the mention but took the device without mention, "I would rather not talk about the great dark for now, it is terrifying enough to know the things that lurk in the shadow." he takes a moment to shake his head, as if physically doing so can jar loose the memories of the shadow creatures. "But to answer your question. I was reading a tome I found under lock in key in the librarian's office."

Taera raises an eyebrow, "I would assume that means it's off limits."

"Usually, you would be right, but she claimed that it was left like that in the library by an unknown person, presumably donated. Instead of checking for traps, apparently she left it like that."

That issued a laugh from the elf, "So more work for your restless mind?"

Clearing his throat he continued on, "Well after I took it for my own, I did unlock it with some effort. However what I found interesting is that is was about our well known history, however unlike other copies I have read, and re-read near hundreds of times, it was...well," using the magical light he goes over the page, illuminating the image that had caught his attention. "There are detailed illustrations, done in a separate ink than the rest of the book. It's so unreal look."

Taera leans over to look at the page, eventually taking both it and the light from him to get a better look. He watches her as she pours over the pages to drink in the details, smirking a bit as her nose crinkles in a familiar way as the woman sees something of interest. However her face slackens and there's a strange lull over her. With almost hesitation she puts a finger to the page.

"This is, this is the Princess?" looking over her shoulder, Revin nods to confirm her speculation.

Another pause, rarely does Taera become quiet, let alone as still as she is now.

"The one you named me after right?" she sighs, "She's so beautiful..."

The statement is a strange one, Revin even after all this time still is taken aback by it and needs to remind himself of why he, a young, barely an adult human of twenty-four years, had to name a near ageless -gods above know how old she truly was- elven woman, who was clearly into her adult years. But it still felt that it was only the other day, when he found her.

Lost, injured, and terrified. Revin had been making his way back to his mentors home when he was sidetracked. Too much time having his nose stuck in a far too interesting book, not enough paying attention to where his feet were taking him. Having to take alternate paths, winding dirt roads. Ultimately he was lost.

During this time he found her.

He still remembers it, even now, after all these years. To him nothing had been more strange, yet it had happened. Fearful of the shadows lurking in the night that forever haunted the land he knew as home, he traveled like most with either lantern, or enchanted light to be able to evade their gaze. But in his personal fear he nearly spilled the hot oil of the lantern onto the prone body of a woman. The woman he would later know as Taera.

"Revin?"

Memories fade and he looks back at Taera, she had closed the book and was now looking intently at him.

Revin stands up and straightens his robe, although horribly stained with candle wax and chemicals, he suddenly felt self conscious under her intense gaze. "We should get back to Aegar, he's probably worried sick."

Although it is apparent she is concerned by the sudden change, she simply nods, "Would it be alright if I kept this? I...I don't know just..." she trails off.

Smiling gently he takes her hand in his own, "Of course you can. You don't have to explain it to me, it's alright."

Taera smiles back and squeezes his hand in a silent thanks. It was only a short walk to Aegar's home, once there they could retire for the rest of the pitch black of the night. Dawn wouldn't bring any sunshine, but patterns and cycles still controlled the world. Sleep would be needed eventually, and only constant it seemed, was the inability to change old habits that had been built up over several eons.

Description
The moonlight streaked across the marbled floor of the library casting dim lumination inbetween the towering bookshelves, allowing the lone man to catch glimpses of text from the ancient tome he was pouring over, although the candle at his side had burned out several hours prior he was so enraptured in the story being told it was hard to tear his eyes off the page for even a single second, so the meager light, although a frustration and struggle, was worth the pain.

Lifting the corner of the page the man paused, a frown furrowing his dark brow. Absently he placed his calloused hand on the worn pages of the tome. The moonlight had been obscured leaving the image in darkness until a light emerged.

A hand startled him out of his trance, jumping out of place in fright he knocked over the stack of books on his right, and casting the nub of his candle somewhere far in the distance. It would be near impossible to find now in this endless gloom. Looking up he adjusted his glasses and tried to redeem himself for his coward filled action, although seeing the face of the one to disturb him only made his frown deepen.

"Taera, spirits of blessed flight why would you not announce yourself first?" his tone was accusatory but kept light with good cheer.

The woman in question, Taera, sat down next to him with a heavy sigh. Leaning her head forward to look at him she smiled and explained herself, "I find you more lost in your books at this hour than any time these days." she shoves him gently, "Revin, you know I could call your blasted name for hours and not catch even the slightest whiff of your attention."

Revin fakes distress at the touch, "Not everyone can hear your quiet mouse voice without having those gigantic ears like you do." his turn to poke a little fun, it would be easy to find a point to make with an appearance as exotic and foreign as hers.

Taera scoffs and crosses her arms, "You humans and your jokes, one day I hope to hear something a bit more original that teasing my tattoos or my ears." she shakes her head and resumes her casual demeanor of before, "Besides, Aegar was getting worried, it's late and he was getting concerned. What could be so interesting you refuse to return home?"

A change of topic, clearly either she was bored of sitting around listening to Aegar whine about some new issue or other, or something else was on her mind. Better to humor her than ask about the shards of dreams and stories going through her head. Last time Revin spent too long delving into her troubling thoughts they woke the next day hungover on silver-lily wine the next county over due to a vision she received.

"Well, do you have a light? It would be easier to show you." wordlessly the elven woman reached into a pouch at her belt and produced a small silver cylinder.

"I borrowed an enchanted candle from his shop," a pause, "I did in fact ask, but the great dark is coming in a few moons, I didn't want to be caught off guard like Jeory last year."

Revin shivered at the mention but took the device without mention, "I would rather not talk about the great dark for now, it is terrifying enough to know the things that lurk in the shadow." he takes a moment to shake his head, as if physically doing so can jar loose the memories of the shadow creatures. "But to answer your question. I was reading a tome I found under lock in key in the librarian's office."

Taera raises an eyebrow, "I would assume that means it's off limits."

"Usually, you would be right, but she claimed that it was left like that in the library by an unknown person, presumably donated. Instead of checking for traps, apparently she left it like that."

That issued a laugh from the elf, "So more work for your restless mind?"

Clearing his throat he continued on, "Well after I took it for my own, I did unlock it with some effort. However what I found interesting is that is was about our well known history, however unlike other copies I have read, and re-read near hundreds of times, it was...well," using the magical light he goes over the page, illuminating the image that had caught his attention. "There are detailed illustrations, done in a separate ink than the rest of the book. It's so unreal look."

Taera leans over to look at the page, eventually taking both it and the light from him to get a better look. He watches her as she pours over the pages to drink in the details, smirking a bit as her nose crinkles in a familiar way as the woman sees something of interest. However her face slackens and there's a strange lull over her. With almost hesitation she puts a finger to the page.

"This is, this is the Princess?" looking over her shoulder, Revin nods to confirm her speculation.

Another pause, rarely does Taera become quiet, let alone as still as she is now.

"The one you named me after right?" she sighs, "She's so beautiful..."

The statement is a strange one, Revin even after all this time still is taken aback by it and needs to remind himself of why he, a young, barely an adult human of twenty-four years, had to name a near ageless -gods above know how old she truly was- elven woman, who was clearly into her adult years. But it still felt that it was only the other day, when he found her.

Lost, injured, and terrified. Revin had been making his way back to his mentors home when he was sidetracked. Too much time having his nose stuck in a far too interesting book, not enough paying attention to where his feet were taking him. Having to take alternate paths, winding dirt roads. Ultimately he was lost.

During this time he found her.

He still remembers it, even now, after all these years. To him nothing had been more strange, yet it had happened. Fearful of the shadows lurking in the night that forever haunted the land he knew as home, he traveled like most with either lantern, or enchanted light to be able to evade their gaze. But in his personal fear he nearly spilled the hot oil of the lantern onto the prone body of a woman. The woman he would later know as Taera.

"Revin?"

Memories fade and he looks back at Taera, she had closed the book and was now looking intently at him.

Revin stands up and straightens his robe, although horribly stained with candle wax and chemicals, he suddenly felt self conscious under her intense gaze. "We should get back to Aegar, he's probably worried sick."

Although it is apparent she is concerned by the sudden change, she simply nods, "Would it be alright if I kept this? I...I don't know just..." she trails off.

Smiling gently he takes her hand in his own, "Of course you can. You don't have to explain it to me, it's alright."

Taera smiles back and squeezes his hand in a silent thanks. It was only a short walk to Aegar's home, once there they could retire for the rest of the pitch black of the night. Dawn wouldn't bring any sunshine, but patterns and cycles still controlled the world. Sleep would be needed eventually, and only constant it seemed, was the inability to change old habits that had been built up over several eons.