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Post by Bee on Sept 29, 2009 11:57:15 GMT -5
Ah, but it warmed her soul to see someone giving Esterberry the proper esteem it deserved. Her realm, she believed she could say with no ounce of bias, was the best the world had ever spawned, and its residents certainly the smartest.
Her smile beamed with the added glow that only intense self-satisfaction could lend.
She decided she liked this rat, meek as she was. And a Torquehelm with such a peculiar binding. She did so want to learn exactly how that curse mechanism worked...And oooh, once she knew, no power in the universe would stop her from helping these poor little things free themselves.
It was hard, sometimes, to live in the Age of Reason when everyone else was living in the Age of Superstition.
"Well," she said, brightly, "I'm headed back to Esterberry next week. If you should like to come with me, I would be more than happy to give you a little tour of some of our best facilities."
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Post by Harpsdesire on Sept 29, 2009 22:42:49 GMT -5
Dania's own face brightened a bit under the glow of Phaedra's pleased smile. Apparently she had said something right. "R-really?" A trip to Esterberry was certainly a tempting thought, but could she really do that?
"I'll have to see if I can take the time off. I work at the bookshop pretty much every day." Although this was embarassing to admit, the young rat was pretty sure that her father would be strongly against the trip. Her mother was a different story--She would probably encourage her daughter to gain a little culture by visiting new places... and then fall apart completely with worry after a new days' absence.
"I have to admit that I'm not very well-traveled. I've read about the schools and libraries, but never seen them for myself." Dania paused, "Maybe I should see if I can get away, if only for a few days." As an afterthought, she asked, "What's your major course of study?" She hoped it wasn't something she was entirely clueless about. Dania had always considered herself reasonably intelligent, but she suspected that a visit to Esterberry may very well prove her wrong.
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Post by Bee on Oct 2, 2009 12:52:33 GMT -5
"I have several," Phaedra said, for really, what kind of Esterberry would she be if she only picked one area of study? Students unable to excel in more than one field were viewed as...well, there wasn't much difference between them and people in remedial discrete maths. Corvies came and concentrated on one area, those obsessive nitwits. She shuddered at the thought.
"I am currently involved in programs for archaeological anthropology, linguistics, and classical literature. And the related clubs, clearly. Of course, this leaves me little time to pursue my other interests, so I think that when I attain my degrees, I shall return to take classes in political science and sociology." She shelved another book in its proper location. "I really do think you should come, if you can get away. Who knows? You might like to try to get into one of the schools."
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Post by Harpsdesire on Oct 2, 2009 19:17:34 GMT -5
Dania listened politely, although there was a certain snobbishness in Phaedra's demeanor that didn't entirely sit well with her. Still, there was no point in being rude and proving herself to be the sort of idiot the Esterberry no doubt already suspected her to be.
"My, that sounds interesting. I'd love to study literature, but I'm afraid that my education in Torquehelm probably hasn't really prepared me for it." Dania frowned a little in thought. "Perhaps I can visit, at least. Maybe sit in on a few classes and see what its like."
Beside the blatant brilliance of Phaedra, the rat felt rather dull and slow. She shook herself slightly, trying to snap out of the deepening sense of discouragement that settled upon her like fallen leaves on the forest floor. After all, residents of Torquehelm were also renowned for being clever and resourceful, a fact often evidenced by how little the often-cruel bindings they wore hindered them.
Still, a bright mind was a very different thing from the sort of overwhelming knowledge valued in Esterberry. Dania found herself becoming determined to at least make an attempt to seek out the knowledge she thirsted for, and to try to be something more than a dutiful child taking over the family business. No matter how much she loved it, it wasn't really hers, not the way a real Esterberry education would. "I might not be accepted, but it wouldn't hurt to try, right? I can ask for a little time off."
She looked to Phaedra nervously, a delicate hope in her violet eyes. "I mean, it would be worth a try...?"
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Post by Bee on Oct 2, 2009 19:41:32 GMT -5
The little rat seemed to have a delicate sense of self-esteem, and Phaedra did her best not to step all over it. Sometimes it happened inadvertently anyway, but she gave it a good try.
She'd need a thick skin if she were doing to try for a school, though. Academia could be vicious. Especially if there were numerous students vying for a limited number of spots. She remembered the Great Selkie Marine Biology Internship Fiasco of a few years ago. The slander, the libel, the cruel little pranks. Nasty business.
Shouldn't have that problem in the normal course of things, though, with a little luck.
"It certainly would!" she said, encouragingly. "Believe me, a love of reading and willingness to study one's arse off are half the battle. You won't have much of a social life for a few years, but it's a small price to pay for a fine education."
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Post by Harpsdesire on Oct 7, 2009 18:06:33 GMT -5
"Social life?" Dania raised her eyebrows and half-laughed, half-snorted at the idea. "I already spend more time reading..." It occurred to her after the fact that this probably wasn't the best thing to admit to, but if anyone would be accepting of her reclusive ways, it would be Phaedra. Esterberry students were famous for disappearing into the library's quiet study rooms for days at a stretch during exam weeks.
In fact... Esterberry was sounding more and more like a place where people might, shocking as it seemed, actually understand her. Or at least accept her eccentricities as well within the rage of normal behavior. Maybe she would even learn how to increase in rank, returning to Torquehelm as a high-ranking and worldly card her father would have to be proud of, however grudgingly. Studying could have that effect, she heard.
"Alright, I'll do it." She exclaimed, clapping her front paws together in excitement and almost losing her balance in the process. Hmm, maybe in Esterberry they would know a way to make her binding less cumbersome.
She rather dreaded the idea of ever obtaining a biped form, as she would almost certainly be unable to walk with one leg bound to her back. If the university taught her a way around that problem, (obtaining freedom, the obvious answer, was never one she considered a viable solution), that alone would be worth the years of study.
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Post by Bee on Oct 15, 2009 15:35:46 GMT -5
Books were a fine social life, anyway: nothing was quite so comforting as a smooth surface of a cover when one was sad; nothing listened so well as a stretch of pages when one was upset; nothing could share one's joy quite so well as friendly splashes of ink. Ah, but she was getting sentimental. Thinking about her one true love usually made her feel a little sappy, as much as she liked to consider herself a detached academic.
"Well, then! Why don't we meet back here at the end of the week, then? I can make the travel arrangements; it would be lovely to have some company. I suspect you need to time to pack and write home."
Well, she usually disliked travel company, actually, because whenever she went anywhere with anyone, they tried to keep her attention focused on them rather than whatever intriguing thing she was reading, and nothing made her more irate than mindless pay-attention-to-me-pay-attention-to-me-pay-attention-to-ME babble. But she suspected that Dania might be more interested in the scenery or her own book, and if she wanted to talk, Phaedra was, for once, actually interested.
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Post by Harpsdesire on Oct 22, 2009 0:45:31 GMT -5
Dania gulped. The end of the week-- that was awfully soon! Then again, if she didn't hurry up and do it, there was a distinct chance that she wold lose her nerve altogether. She nodded with an expression of equal parts determination and terror. "A-Alright. In one week."
The rat clutched the book her paws more tightly as if for comfort, then forced herself to replace it on the shelf before her claws damaged the cover. The would never do. She would rather die than destroy a book, especially one that didn't belong to her.
The noise and activity in the shop seemed to rise and undulate about her, creating a terrible din and making her cringe, as much as she tried to hide her discomfort from the worldly and brilliant woman who had just agreed to take her to the Esterberry schools. "It seemed our meeting today was... providence." The rat attempted a smile, then continued, visibly agitated, "If I'm to leave for your homeland in a week, I should get going! So much preparation, so much studying to do..!" Dania nearly turned and ran off, but remembered her manners at the last moment. "Thank you!" She said passionately, shaking Phaedra's paw in both of hers and nearly falling flat on her face.
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Post by Bee on Nov 13, 2009 19:26:11 GMT -5
Ah, sweet enthusiasm! Phaedra more had to just let her arms be jerked around in the handshake rather than responding in kind, but she was so surprised and amused by the burst of passion that she remained entirely unperturbed.
"It's no imposition at all," she said, using her grip to try to help stabilize the flailing Torquehelm. "I trust I'll see you soon!"
A week would give her more than enough time to tend to everything. She had little of her own business to finish up, and honestly she was a little glad to be quits of the capitol. She admired it as a cultural melting pot and bustling center of commerce, et cetera, et cetera, but she was always happy to return to the elaborate buildings and grand libraries of the motherland. She knew vaguely which carriages were leaving on the paths out of the capitol that week; she would just need to double-check and send a couple of telegrams.
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Post by Harpsdesire on Nov 14, 2009 2:00:30 GMT -5
"Of course! I wouldn't miss it!" Dania's mind was reeling with excitement and several other emotions that she didn't give herself the time to pause and unravel. She made short work of setting up the details of the trip with Phaedra, rushing a bit, as if to deny herself the chance to lose her nerve and rush back to the safety of her insulated life in Torquehelm. Now that the date and time when her life was going to irrevocably change were decided, the rat found she had to steel herself against a rising sense of panic, as if her whole world was tilting off balance and threatening to tip her off into oblivion.
She knew that the news of her departure for parts educational and unknown would not go over well at all with her parents, but she tried to avoid thoughts of fatherly scolding and motherly tears as she nodded a farewell to Phaedra and hurried from the shop. This was going to be a busy, difficult week, and she had things to finish in the city before she could even return home and start her preparations. First of all, she needed to find a quiet place to collect her thoughts and try to will herself calm. In a few days, life was going to change forever, but for now, all she wanted to do was seek the solace of a good book and dream all the frightening realities of the world away.
((Perhaps time-jump of one week? Or start a new board in Esterberry if you prefer.))
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