• PM To Join • Off The Beaten Track (Faith)

[Maebella]

9 Zi'da 717

Maebella wasn't supposed to be here. Oh there was no problem with her being in the Prime Atheneum, or even in the sections pertaining to literature. However, the Eídisi wasn't following the line of study that she ought to have been. Instead, the young woman had drifted away from various literary theories and serious literature, and moved to look at what some people called the lower forms of literature. Myths, legends and folktales were what had caught her interest today, the scholar particularly interested in those sources that weren't far removed from oral ones.

There were obvious issues with oral culture, namely that a voiced narrative could often be altered. Some enjoyed embellishing stories or making their own mark on a ballad. Sometimes there were things that were removed if they were deemed unsuitable or went out of fashion. Although, Maebella also knew that there were some storytellers and bards who were so well trained that they could retain information from generation to generation. If they'd had their recitations recorded then they'd be excellent reading material for the highly curious young woman.

Her blue fingers danced over the spines of books, and trailed over manuscripts and scrolls. She wasn't properly studying and as such, she was only browsing the various titles, checking to see what might grab her interest. There were a great many to choose from and Mae was honestly spoiled for options. It was difficult to find a specific subject to settle on but she wasn't in any haste to come to a decision. Despite the many breaks that she'd spent working and studying in the Prime Atheneum, she never tired of the scent of old paper or vellum or parchment. The smells, the textures, the appearance of the various written materials were all enough to hold her rapt.

She chose one of the tomes about Rynmere, idling flicking through it and finding delight in its contents as she came across a number of illustrations, most in black and white but some in colour. There were scaly creatures with wings - jacadons according to the labels - and renderings of the Seven. It would have interested her more if she hadn't understood a little bit about Rynlism, namely that it had nothing to do with the Immortals and thus, nothing to do with the Original Beings. They probably didn't have any material that might link back to the Great Shattering so she didn't think it was the place to start although perhaps another trial.

She replaced the volume, seeking another. As she sought, she was mainly lost in her own thoughts but she still had some awareness of what was going on around her. When someone drew near then she'd notice and if they lingered, she'd be more likely to glance their way, made uncomfortable by the proximity. It wasn't likely that someone unfamiliar with her race would be able to see past her white, seemingly sightless gaze to the emotion that lay beneath.

[Faith Augustin]

From the first time that she had set foot in a library, Faith had loved them. The ambiance, the deep respect of knowledge and sheer possibilities and opportunities which were presented by these places astonished her. From the most intense of scientific tomes to the whimsical fancies of fairytales ~ everything could be found here and, no matter what had been happening in her life, libraries were a place of hope for the earnest young woman. Yet, this trial, she was irritated, flustered and out of sorts. She didn't care about the books, the knowledge, the repositories of information.

She just needed to find the damn books and be done with it.

The human woman who was also browsing the shelves Maebella was currently looking at had a number of distinguishing features. She was short, standing just under five foot four. Yet she wore sensible flat shoes, nothing which added to her height. Her eyes, also, were strange in that they were such a pale blue, they looked silver. An odd colour for a human, certainly. Her pale skin had no make up and the dark circles under her eyes were obvious to anyone who noticed such things ~ she looked tired.

Oh, and she was very pregnant.

The slight stature of the human woman made the pregnancy even more pronounced, when not so she must have been very small in frame, indeed. She had an expression of frustration on her face; her arms were full carrying books which she put down on a nearby table ~ ironically, they were the ones on the Originals and the Great Shattering, Now, she was looking for stories, myths, legends and folklore. There were a number of texts here, she believed, which might be useful and she searched the shelves for them. Without soaking in the atmosphere like she normally would, Faith turned to find the first book on her list and, there it was.

Out of reach.

She wanted to scream, although this did not show on the disciplined young woman's face. She breathed in and looked for the ladder, but then remembered a promise made to her husband about such things. Not teetering on a ladder, specifically, was something they had discussed so Faith turned to the woman who was standing there and spoke in a quiet tone. "Excuse me, I'm wondering if you could help me? I have some books to reach and would rather not be climbing ladders in my current condition." Faith's voice was calm, quiet and polite. Polite, always, in all things. "I have a list. I wonder, would you help, please?"

Off Topic

Deducted from Ledger:
5 x books on the Originals 50gn + 5 x books on the Great Shattering 50gn + 10 x books on Myths, legends and folklore =200gn -35% because of fame.
130gn deducted.

[Maebella]

The young woman was just considering another new tome when a soft voice came from beside her. Her gaze moved to the side, automatically seeking a point just an inch or so beneath her own six foot height but found it necessary to glance further down as she found the speaker close to a foot beneath her. She blinked a little more rapidly than normal, which was the only real show of surprise on the Eídisi's face as she took in the other woman's appearance and words. It didn't take incredible powers of deduction to work out what her 'condition' was. The swell of the petite scholar's stomach was clearly apparent. She was very pregnant, shockingly so in Maebella's eyes. Considering her size, it wasn't strange that she didn't want to be climbing up ladders.

A glance showed that there were a sizeable stack of books on the nearby table, books that she was certain hadn't been there just a few bits before. She wondered if this pregnant woman had put them there. If that was the case then she considered her actions impressive but also extremely foolhardy. It hardly seemed wise to carry around such stacks given her pregnancy.

"Certainly, it's not a problem. I'm quite familiar with the layout; I used to work here," she explained softly, holding out a hand for the list that she held. Once she had it, she would peruse it, eyes flicking up to the shelves to pinpoint the different locations. While some of them would require a ladder to reach, even with her higher stature, most were within her lengthy reach.

"There are quite a few here and some of them are quite heavy. I trust that you don't plan on carrying them around in your present state. I imagine that such a task would take quite a strain on your system. It isn't just your child's health that you must consider but also your own," the Eídisi explained softly, her eyes flicking briefly to the woman, her brows pulled slightly together in an expression of distraction.

"Please sit down and I'll bring them to you. It won't take long."

With list in hand, she set off along the shelves, quietly climbing the ladder when she needed to and otherwise simply stretching her arm up to the shelves that she could reach. She chose the highest books first and then worked her way down, placing them in a neat stack. One arm managed to hold them in place pressed against her chest when the other was busy but otherwise, she cradled them in both arms for fear that they'd be sent cascading to the floor without adequate support. Once she had them all, she carried them over, bending her knees so that she could set them down without hurting her back, sighing softly with relief as she set them down.

"Can I help you with anything else? Do you need these books carried anywhere? These don't all belong to you, do they?" the woman questioned with a slight note of incredulity. "I'm Maebella by the way."

[Faith Augustin]

Faith felt a rush of gratitude towards the Eidisi, who immediately agreed to retrieving the texts for her. "Thank you," she said, handing her the list. The woman started to reach for the books and Faith was quite prepared to take them, one at a time. Looking at the pile which was developing, she considered she'd probably have to take two trips, but that was fine. However, then the Eidisi started to speak about carrying things and Faith looked at the woman with a calm gaze, and a friendly smile She was bringing them to her, because she didn't want her carrying them and Faith reminded herself that the Eidisi woman was just being kind. "A sit down would be welcome, thank you. I assure you, I take no risks." She watched the woman who helped her and she smiled. "Thank you."

They weren't all hers? Faith smiled rather ruefully. "They are. I'm purchasing copies of them. They are my second stack this trial." The first one had been twenty books deep too. "I am working outside my usual area of expertise and, as such, I am afraid I am starting from scratch." And she did not have the time to do so, she thought with a flash of irritation. But then, although the Eidisi would could not possibly know it, Faith was showing enormous restraint in not getting every book which might conceivably have information in it. "Forgive me, my manners have deserted me. I'm Faith." Holding a hand out to shake, she smiled. "I appreciate the help, truly. I've come over from Scalvoris, our library is not as good as here yet, and I am looking for quite specific information."

She smiled slightly, motioning to the books. "So, yes, my plan was to get them to reception. Honestly, I can do it in a few journeys, but help is welcome." She motioned to Maebella herself and raised an eyebrow. "You said you used to work here, Maebella? What is it you do now, if I might ask?" Maybe the woman was a student or a teacher, she thought and she smiled.

[Maebella]

She was glad that the woman had chosen to sit down but as she came to stand beside the table, she was all too aware just how much more she towered over the other now that they were at different levels. In order to alleviate some of the height difference, she took a seat as well, silently scanning titles as she gave the pregnant woman a chance to check the books that Maebella had brought to her. There was a definite theme to her choice of reading: gods. Some of the books were about the Originals and some about the Great Shattering, while the new books seemed connected to the same sort of topics. The Eídisi's curiosity was well and truly piqued but she knew better than to let her mouth run on and on forever; talking too much was rude apparently.

Her eyebrows rose when the future mother admitted that she was actually purchasing copies of these books - twenty books! - which suggested that she had quite a bit of money, a notion that made Maebella appraising her a little more carefully. Although she had a certain maturity about her, she seemed quite young, barely more than a girl. The dark marks under her eyes were accentuated by the pallor of her face, a chalky look to it that was an additional sign of her exhausted state. If she'd already been lugging around ten books while in her current condition then she obviously took her study seriously and was probably a hard worker. It was quite possible that she'd worked herself into this state, her body leeched of energy as she tried to accommodate the desires of her brain and her developing child.

She introduced herself, extending her hand for the blue-skinned scholar to shake. She took it with a trill of hesitation, the grip brief but firm, her hand freezing in the air as she went to draw it back. Faith? She knew that name! She'd heard it mentioned within the Academy and when she'd worked in the Prime Atheneum.

"Faith? As in Faith Augustin?" she asked, white eyes fixed on the young woman. If it was the person that she was thinking of then she was far younger than she ever could have imagined. She was practically a child! Maebella probably had a decade on her and yet this human was a shining example of what she wanted to become: someone who was worthy of Yvithia's attention. Although she hadn't garnered that particular Immortal's approval as she lacked the scar-like mark over her eye that Virikai Talius had. Still, if she wanted it, she probably could. If what she'd heard was true then her skillset would certainly have been impressive to Yvithia. Obviously, it wasn't possible to gain some of her ability by being in her presence but she was still eager to stay with her; perhaps she might learn a thing or two.

"I used to work here, yes, but I'm now studying and working in the Academy here in Viden. I'm studying for a Letter in Literature in the Institute of Arts and I'm also a research assistant. Perhaps... I can certainly help you with your books and carry them downstairs but perhaps I might be able to provide additional assistance. If you tell me what sort of information you're pursuing then perhaps I can point you in the right direction. I might even be able to do research for you and pass the information onto you," the scholar suggests, a note of fervour entering her voice. The young woman realised what she was saying and sighed, getting to her feet once more. Swiftly, she sorted the books into three stacks, two of seven and one of six before lifting one of the larger ones.

"My apologies, I'm being rather presumptuous. In any case, I can carry these downstairs for you. It's best if I do it in a few trips although you don't have to go anywhere until I'm on the last one. It'd be better if you didn't carry any if it can be avoided. Perhaps you should even have them delivered to wherever you're staying."

If Faith didn't stop her then she'd set off swiftly to bring the first stack downstairs before returning for the next.

[Faith Augustin]

Of all things, the Eidisi recognised her and Faith nodded. "Yes, that's right." She didn't even have the luxury of wondering if they'd met before and she'd just forgotten, courtesy of Vri's mark Faith knew that they had not crossed paths previously. The woman's demeanour seemed to shift slightly as Faith wondered just how it was that the Eidisi had heard of her. "Literature? How interesting," Faith said with genuine interest. Everything was to earnest young woman, in truth. "My subject is medicine." She said and then watched in some surprise as Maebella sat down, stood up, organised books and offered her help then said she was being presumptions.

"I.. hold on there a moment." Faith said, putting out a hand to stop Maebella from rushing off. Where the Eidisi had heard of her, and come to that what she had heard, Faith had no idea. However, there was no doubt in the former slave's mind that the woman in front of her was being kind and generous and for that she was more than grateful. "I'm going back to Scalvoris totrial. I can't be away long." She said, in explanation of where she was staying. "I came here because my husband, who is on an expedition to uncharted waters as part of his Licentiate in Physics, has.." Faith paused and wondered just how to explain it.

We are both blessed by different Immortals. I have been marked by Famula, Vri and Moseke whereas he has been blessed by Qylios and Yvithia." There was nothing but prid in those marks, Faith never considered hiding them. "The mark allow us a variety of means of communication. We have alchemical means also and so we have been in touch. But it has all stopped working. In the same moment." The disciplined young woman spoke those words softly, as though there was no emotion attached to them. Her eyes spoke a different tale, as did the collection of books. "I am trying to find out what, if anything, I can. About the place, the phenomena. Anything."

Looking at Maebella, Faith felt it only fair and appropriate to say that. "I would appreciate any help you can give me. I don't know how you have heard of me, but I am not here as a professor or a medic. Just a wife." But any help at all? Well that would be very gratefully received indeed.

[Maebella]

The two women were worlds apart it seemed although the Eídisi had known as much; she'd heard that Faith was some sort of medical wunderkind. Still, it was good to hear genuine interest in her voice, especially as those who weren't involved in the arts could be a bit disparaging of her chosen subject. Maebella had had to defend her interest in the subject on more than one occasion. Even before she'd enrolled in the Academy, she'd had to deal with her own apparent stupidity the moment she mentioned her intended field of study. Considering the pregnant woman's current choice of reading material, it seemed safe to assume that she wasn't as close-minded as some others that she'd encountered.

Before the scholar could run off, Faith stopped her. Her initial statement caused a frown that deepened rapidly as she continued to speak. By the time she paused, Mae had decided that it was pointless to stand there with the books in her arms for no reason so she set them down to conserve her strength. Heedless of the way she towered over the smaller female, she placed a hand on the table, leaning her weight on it as she listened, trying to come to terms with everything that she was hearing. There was a great deal to process and as she tried to wrap her head around it, Faith was ready with another bombshell, leaving the Eídisi unsure how she could be much use at all.

Faith had been marked by three different Immortals! The idea was shocking to the young woman who found herself gazing at the girl with new respect. Not only was she marked herself but she'd also paired up with someone almost as blessed, one who had been marked by her beloved Yvithia. They certainly seemed like a powerful couple and she wondered if Faith's partner was as young as she was. If so then Maebella had some serious catching up to do.

"I know very little about most of the Immortals you just mentioned - barring Yvithia of course - never mind their marks but I feel that that isn't supposed to be my concern here," she reasoned slowly. "I don't know that I can help you with information regarding the place but given that you have a particular issue with communication... well, that's Yvithia's domain and I'm certainly not an expert in the area but I might have an idea how to acquire such information. It's quite possible that it's something arcane, in which case, it'll be tricky to come by but not impossible. The books are restricted but as a student of the Academy, I should be able to get to them. They're mainly theoretical although there's some history too so there might be an account of something similar."

Bringing her free hand up to her mouth, her teeth worried at her thumbnail, the girl evidently deep in thought as she considered the matter further.

"We Eídisi may have a reputation of being cold but we do tend to be extremely protective of our mates so... your anxiety is understandable to me," the scholar admitted softly. "As I said, I used to work here; you pick up tidbits of information here and there. I'd heard your name before and a little in relation to you, but I wasn't aware you were a professor. However, I respect your desire to forego such titles in this situation; it isn't wholly relevant after all."

She sat down again, white eyes intense as she stared down the other woman. "Tell me what you can."

[Faith Augustin]

Maebella spoke of a restricted section, an area where access wasn't immediately open. Without a doubt, Faith would use her Professorship for that if needs be, or Padraig's as he had been at the university longer and was on a sponsored expedition. She nodded her head, thoughtfully. "The restricted access section makes sense. Padraig, my husband, his expedition is sponsored by the Academy. He's a professor, too and a Licentiate student, so maybe that will help." The Eidisi offered to help then, sitting opposite her and asking for details. Faith breathed in and considered.

"Arcana isn't working, wherever he is. We have these scrolls. I write on mine, he sees it on his and vice versa. He also has magic boots, they can teleport him home." Faith explained. Then, reaching into her bag, she pulled out the map, showing Maebella where he had gone. It was entirely uncharted territory in the far north east of the world. "None of the ships will sail there, not now. The University paid for the expedition, I have the name of the captain and each crew member," Then, she sighed and looked at Maebella, trying to think. "He left on the last trial of last season. We write to each other every trial. Thanks to the bonds we share, we can feel each other's emotions, hear each other's thoughts." That all worked, she explained and as hard as it was, it was comforting. "Then, in the early breaks of the morning on the fifth, I woke up and he was gone. From my mind. The scroll did not work. I worried that he had died, so I tried to pull his spirit back to me, using Famula's blessing, but it did not come." Of course, she said, logically that did not mean that he was alive, she knew that. "It is entirely possible that he is dead, but somewhere shielded. I understand that. I have spoken to everyone I can think of, to ask them. The captains, a friend who is a dreamwalker... lots of people, but nothing."

It was simple enough, though, Faith said and she looked at Maebella with an earnest gaze. "I believe that, for everything else, if he was dead I would know. He is alive. By the calculations that the cartographers at the university did for me, it is in this area." They had tracked his course for her.

"Access to those books, if they might have something in there, that would be excellent." Faith looked at Maebella and she smiled slightly. It was a rather ironic smile, in truth. "I am a Professor of Medicine at the Univeristy and I have my Charter in Medicine for my work on infusion of blood and curing previously incurable diseases. I am here as a wife, but I will use whatever I need to in order to be able to look him in the eye when I see him next and tell him that I did everything I could to find him. Whether it is because I succeeded in finding him, or he did in finding me. Because he won't stop, either." Faith shrugged slightly. "What do you think? Can you help?"

[Maebella]

She had no idea how old Faith's husband was but he certainly did sound accomplished. Obviously, he must have had something exceptional about him for Yvithia to take notice of him but it certainly sounded impressive that he was a professor, studying for a Licentiate and on some sort of research expedition. He sounded like a dedicated man regardless of his age and he was obviously someone who was quite dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. That was something that Maebella could understand and respect him for even though she'd never met him. It certainly sounded as if they might allow her to access the restricted section of the Prime Atheneum by virtue of her proximity to her husband. However, she'd mentioned that she was a professor too so perhaps she'd gain access based on her own merit.

The woman proved her line of thought when she named her credentials. However, that was the only thing in her whole explanation that the young scholar could fathom. Considering everything that Faith had done - everything that she could do - Mae couldn't imagine what more she could do. She could scan through some books, she could try to glean information from different sources but that was all she could do: research. She chewed her lip thoughtfully, wondering if there was anything else that she could offer to the desperate girl.

"I can do research and potentially help that way. I could speed things up for you; two heads are better than one after all. Beyond that, it appears that you're quite capable, even without me," the blue-skinned woman explained. "I don't know that I can provide much in the way of assistance but I will do what I can, little though it may be."

Her white gaze turned to the books that were on the table between them, contemplating her options. She could offer to help her go through these ones or she could head for the restricted books on arcana and history. Perhaps there was a historical account of something like this. However, it was a matter of choosing the best type of source and going with it. If time was of the essence then she had to choose wisely.

"It's possible that the area your husband is in has a magical phenomenon that prevents him from communicating with you and vice versa. It makes sense that something like that would prevent even an Immortal-given talent. As such, I think it makes sense to focus on the arcana rather than this material," she reasoned, gesturing to the materials ranged between them. "I think it would be most logical to begin there. If you choose to go that way then I can help you upstairs and we can sit there. It is your decision of course but that's what I'd advise as the best course of action," the Eídisi declared.

[Faith Augustin]

She should have thought about there being a restricted section, Faith thought to herself. That made sense, was logical and was, now that she thought of it, obvious. She was tired and emotional and that was afffecting her judgement, Faith knew. More than that, she was pregnant and Bun gave her what she could only term 'baby brain'. It was like nothing she could quite describe but she knew it to be so. She had a perfect, eidetic memory and was somehow forgetful. A professor of medicine with a charter in her own right, and yet she felt vague and rather fluff-headed. What was it? Baby brain.

Simple.

She smiled at Maebella as the Eidisi explained that she couldn't do much. "Your offer of help is more gratefully received than I can tell you." The young human woman was very earnest as she spoke. "In and of itself, it means a lot. And two heads are always, always, better than one." Faith agreed. She didn't make comment on the Eidisi's 'even without me' comment on her capability. The woman was helping her, and very generously so. Besides, it wasn't Faith's way to comment on someone else' s sense of self, no matter what it was.

Maebella spoke of it and explained her logic, and Faith considered her words. "On the one hand, you're correct. But I think it is more likely to be geographical than not. My Immortal granted abilities work just fine. My magical shoes, and other scrolls I have which do what the magic scrolls between Padraig and I do, they all work. So it's specific and unique to him." She considered it, raising an eyebrow and looking at Maebella as she did. "However, either way, I'd like to get into those restricted access books." She considered. It was there that they would have to focus. "From there, we can maybe come up with an overview and titles, I can see if I can purchase them, although it isn't entirely necessary. But then, once we know what they have, we can decide where makes the most sense?" That seemed logical to Faith but she had to allow for the simple reality of baby brain, after all.

With a slight smile, she looked at Maebella and waited to see what the blue-skinned individual thought. Once they'd agreed, Faith went and asked about access to the restricted section and was granted it, in light of her role within the university. Maebella had been helpful and she was grateful to her, no doubting. So, the young medic thanked the Eidisi for her help and spent the rest of her time here, searching.