Ever wonder if it's all for you? [Finished]

[Kari Muffin]

Rosemary had decided a long time ago that all Torquehelms were sadists of some sort. What was the point of living in pain for your entire life? Slight or otherwise it was something that could have been easily fixed. The canine refrained from frowning, and the little compliment brought her completely out of the contemplations of the realm. "I read a book that my father gave me as a birthday gift. Of course he thought the book was completely blank, but as soon as I claimed ownership over it and read a particular incantation... I was like this. Except I lost my wings, which I only recently managed to get back."

They arrived at the bookstore rather quickly and were greeted by a rather cheerful looking Esterberry. After a brief greeting they hurried off to put the teapot on. The shop was lined with books, and for the most part had very little room for people. That was until someone traveled towards the back of the store where there were a few comfy chairs set up, and a good deal of open space where a throw carpet was placed. "I suppose we should make ourselves comfortable before the reading, eh?" Rosemary commented as she flopped down in one of the chairs.

[Harpsdesire]

"Hmm.." Cursed and enchanted books were not new to her, as several of them had passed through her father's store over the years. These were handled with the utmost care and usually sold as quickly as possible to collectors or power-hungry mages. "I'm glad you were able to get them back, then. I always wanted wings of my own when I was little." Dania commented tentitively. They were pretty little wings, although they hardly looked large enough to carry the biped in flight. Purely decorative, she assumed.

Dania relaxed considerably when the entered the bookstore. Something about being around all those books, the collected wisdom and beauty of decades, was comforting. Even the smell of old paper and leather bindings reminded her soothingly of home. "That sounds good." She agreed, settling herself on a large floor pillow intended for customers in animal form. "This is a lovely little place."

[Kari Muffin]

"You know. It's not impossible to find real wings. I heard a rumor that there's a Corvie who can put wings on anyone." She wiggled her tiny ones. "Except the wings he gives you can actually fly. I'm sure wings that matched yours would be rather stunning."

Rosemary proceeded to make herself comfortable in the plush seat. This bookstore always had wonderful seats. And hopefully they would have a good group. Adults would be nice this time. Maybe they could have a conversation about her interpretation of the legends. "It really is, I do enjoy it quite a bit. Probably why I always come back when they ask me to read."

She sighed happily. "Any particular books you like reading?" Rosemary grinned as she watched the owner come out with a tea tray and a few nicely made cakes. Might as well have a bit of pleasant conversation before a reading.

Forge was mentally yawning in the back of her head. As much as he wanted to participate in the conversation he was finding that it wasn't all that interesting to listen to girls talk about books. If the girls were talking about other things that would have been pleasant.

[Harpsdesire]

"That's an interesting thought... Maybe I'll look into it." Secretly, Dania rejected the idea almost immediately. As tempting as the thought of flight was, she didn't trust most Corvies any further than she could throw them (and with all the metal bits in most of them, that wasn't far at all).

"I've never been here, but then I don't spend much time in the City." Dania admitted. "I'm glad I um, ran into you, or I would never have gotten to see it." She glanced around the cozy shop with a content expression. It seemed the rat had gotten over her fear of Rosemary, although she still did her best to focus on the Canine's face, away from the disconcertingly moving text of her coat. Some things were not meant to be known, and other people's thoughts were among them. Forbidden Thoughts... Dania tried not to think about it, setting her mind on Rose's question with a determination that could only come from years of experience in denial and avoiding the obvious.

"To be honest, I'll read just about anything. Fiction, history, biographies... I really do enjoy poetry, though. I may be biased, but Torque poetry is just so... it just [/i]sings[/i], you see?"[/b] She sighed to herself, recalling the words of a favorite writer to mind. It was so beautiful, it almost hurt.

[Kari Muffin]

"When it comes to poetry I prefer the lunatics of Tulgey over the melancholy poets of the Torquehelm. I'm afraid no matter how hard I try I simply can't appreciate them. You have to wade through all the bad poetry to get to anything good." She picked up the tea that was offered to her when the attendant offered her some. "No offense or anything. It's simply a matter of personal aesthetics."

Hopefully the young lady wasn't offended. Really. Torquehelm poetry was some of the most depressing and dismal things she had ever read, and she could hardly say that any of it singed. And Rosemary was never really one to lie straight to someone's face. It was more of a disservice to do something like that than to tell the truth. "Though I imagine you have more interests since you sound like you read a lot."

[Harpsdesire]

Dania's lips pursed slightly at Rosemary's words. Although she was not offended by the differing opinion, she found the utter bluntness with which it was expressed slightly shocking. Wade through all the bad poetry?! For a queen, it seemed the canine had a rather indelicate way of expressing her preferences. Dania decided that expressing such a sentiment would be unwise, and hoped desperately that Rose was too busy with the newly-arrived tea to be reading the script on her coat. "None taken." She paused thoughtfully, clearing her mind and thus, hopefully, purging any awkward thoughts that might appear on the inconvenient mind-reading fur.

"Hm, well, you have to search through the dross to get the gold, and that goes for any area of literature." She remarked, mildly. "Tulgey poetry is certainly... interesting. It has a unique charm."

This was certainly true, although she had read it mostly as child, since much of it seemed to be what she considered amusing, fanciful nonsense, wrestling with such questions as 'How many toves can dance on a rabbit's nose?', and 'What color is a spoonful of opera?' Other pieces were a dark, disturbing sort of nonsensical that she couldn't quite understand, but nevertheless made her feel rather frightened and uncomfortable. Torquehelm poetry, on the other hand, was about struggling to accept the cruel realities of life, the beauty inherent in tragedy and the soul's eternal longing to be free. (And, admittedly, was terribly depressing.)

Dania accepted her own teacup and sipped the hot drink delicately. "I do enjoy reading many subjects. I hope so study literature in Esterberry soon." She couldn't help but let a note of pride cheer her tone as she said this, as Rosemary would be the first card she told about her academic aspirations.

[Kari Muffin]

Rosemary chuckled. "Unique charm? That's a pleasant way of putting it. You must be reading the late surrealistic poems. Some of the older poets have terribly sinister thoughts amongst all the rambling. I find the poetry you have to analyze the best."

The wolf took a sip of her tea as she continued to watch the rodent in front of her. She was a sweet mild mannered sort of person. No wonder Forge kept making dirty comments here and there. Maybe she should let him out at some point? Not that he was interested in Dania in that way but he certainly would have enjoyed a conversation.

At the mention of Esterberry her ears perked up to their fullest attention. "I haven't been there in a while. Not since this happened. I'm not sure how a realm filled with people who love books would react to someone who looks like a walking book."

[Harpsdesire]

"Hmm." Dania nodded with a soft sound of agreement as Rosemary spoke. It seemed to her that the Canine was one of the smartest cards she'd spoken to in some time, but so say so would probably make a bad impression. "Of course. Although there can be volumes of meaning in the sound, the feel... the impressions you get from reading a good poem."

Dania found herself smiling slightly, comforted and warmed by the tea, the cozy atmosphere and that ever-so-rare commodity: actual intelligent conversation. Despite a frightening first impression, she found she liked the Tulgey, and was quickly losing all fear of the supposedly dangerous card.

At Rose's words, Dania actually giggled. "I think they'd love you! They'd probably try to make you stay and be studied, so they could all figure out how to look like books themselves... You'd have to tell the story of how you got that way over and over so they could take notes." Rose didn't seem like the type who would put up with that at all. It was an amusing mental image which brought a more-or-less genuine smile to her pointed rodent face.

[Kari Muffin]

Rosemary was really warming up to the Torquehelm. Apparently she was smarter than most of the people who came out of there. Or at the very least she was less worried about being depressed all the time. Rosemary grinned as she took a sip of her tea.

Her nose wrinkled at the Esterberry comment. The idea of being studied sounded like an absolute nightmare. It meant she had to stay in one place for an extended period of time. And she had to deal with people who were poking and prodding her. The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

"They are nice people and all, but I don't think I'll visit until I'm sure I want to be studied. I can't really imagine being poked and read like some sort of book." She shrugged. "Anyway, the reading is going to be starting soon. I should probably talk to the owner a little bit beforehand. Save my seat for me?"

Rosemary stood up with teacup in hand to find the owner of the bookstore. She would return in a little bit, but for the time being she had left the Torquehelm alone.

[Harpsdesire]

Rose's smile was returned in kind, and Dania nodded with sympathy. "I don't think I should like being studied either." Even the most casual interpersonal contact could be tiring for the introverted rat, and to have multiple Esterberries poking around your fur and asking questions, while an amusing thought on the surface, would in reality be an exasperating experience at best. This was one of those times when she was glad of her tendency to fade into the background. Compared to the mutations some cards had, her singularly odd binding seemed no disadvantage at all.

"Of course." She smiled a farewell-for-now as Rose went in search of the shopkeeper. Dania shifted, sinking herself more deeply into the pillow and setting aside her tea for a moment. She really should pick up a few of these pillows for her father's store. They already had chairs suitable for bipeds and humans, but animal customers were generally forced to sit on the carpet if they wished to linger and read. A nice floor pillow was not only inviting, but it would be helpful in propping up a book for those with paws, or even more challenging, hooves. As she thought of this, and looked about for other ideas useful to improve Paige's, she kept one eye on seat recently vacated by Rosemary, lest anyone try to take it.

As the time for the reading approached, a few cards were drifting into the seating area of the shop, but luckily none seemed inclined to select Rose's chair. Dania was secretly glad to avoid the confrontation of asking someone to move, no matter how minor it would surely be.