Rean entered the library without hesitation, looking at the rows of books, and sighing happily. She walked over to the history section, wanting a book on the lady knight 'the Lioness'. Searching through them quickly, Rean found a book that suited her interests. Taking it delicately from the shelf, she walked over to a table, and sat down, propping her feet on the chair across from her. Opening the book, she read the first line, "The Lady Knight, The Lioness, Alanna." Grinning, Rean muttered sarcastically, "Great opening." Laughing silently, she thought, 'I'm so mean! It's not that bad. Could have been more than a fragment, though.' Shaking her head, she turned to the next page.

Elisbeth rarely entered the library. It wasn't that she didn't like the room; it gave her a sense of peace, and although she was not inclined to admit it, books had always been a subject of fascination to her. But she rarely had time to come here on her own, and she doubted that any of her friends would enjoy spending time here.

There was only one other person visible: a girl in squire's uniform who appeared to be several years older than she was. She was reading something. Elisbeth tilted her head slightly in order to better see the title. It seemed, however, that the angle at which she was standing did not allow her to see the front cover. And moving any closer with her head tilted at an odd angle would seem decidedly strange.

Instead she walked toward one of the shelves. From where she stood she could see that most of the books detailed the Ancient History of the Bazhir, something she had never been especially interested in. She turned back toward the table and the girl who sat at it. "Sorry to interrupt," she said carefully. "I only wondered what your book was about."

Elisbeth rarely entered the library. It wasn't that she didn't like the room; it gave her a sense of peace, and although she was not inclined to admit it, books had always been a subject of fascination to her. But she rarely had time to come here on her own, and she doubted that any of her friends would enjoy spending time here.

There was only one other person visible: a girl in squire's uniform who appeared to be several years older than she was. She was reading something. Elisbeth tilted her head slightly in order to better see the title. It seemed, however, that the angle at which she was standing did not allow her to see the front cover. And moving any closer with her head tilted at an odd angle would seem decidedly strange.

Instead she walked toward one of the shelves. From where she stood she could see that most of the books detailed the Ancient History of the Bazhir, something she had never been especially interested in. She turned back toward the table and the girl who sat at it. "Sorry to interrupt," she said carefully. "I only wondered what your book was about."

Startled, Rean jumped a bit, and looked up at the other girl. She grinned and said, "Sorry, I guess I was really into it." Rean looked at the book and flipped it over, showing the other girl the cover. "The Legend of the Lioness." She said in an announcers voice. "I have to pick someone that was a knight to do a biography on. I picked Alanna, because well, we're both lady knights." She grinned, and amended, "Or I will be sooner or later." She glanced at the girl in front of her, guessing in her mind, 'Noble, pretty, probably from a convent. Seems nice, though.' She smiled, and stated, "Rean of Laraes, at your service." Rean said, curtsying, and asked the girl ,"What's your name?"

"...Uh," said Elisbeth, startled at the other's sudden formality. Quickly regaining her sense of composure, she curtsied in return, and gave her name. "Elisbeth of Irenroha. A pleasure to meet you." She paused, and then thought that perhaps stopping there would be rude. Perhaps antisocial. "So you are a squire, then?" she asked.

Perhaps that was what made her awkward, that the older girl was a squire. She'd never really understood the desire to be a warrior, although that was not to say she did not respect it. How was one to behave around someone who had forsaken the life of a noblewoman? Did that mean that the the other girl--Rean, Elisbeth remembered--had forsaken other aspects of life as well? Maybe she did not appreciate polite chatter. She had been reading-- maybe she simply wanted to get back to her book.

Too late now, though, to simply leave her alone, even if that was what she wanted. "I don't think I would be able to be a squire," Elisbeth added. "I doubt I'd be very good at--at fighting."

Rean smiled, and put her book down, leaning against the table. "Yes, I'm a squire." She raised her eyebrows, counting her many bruises from fighting. "It's ... trying, at times. But I love it." She grinned, and flipped her hair back, thinking, 'She's nice.' Most of the noblewoman she had met here at court hadn't been really nice. They didn't think that lady knights were a very useful endeavor.

Looking at Elisbeth, she asked, relaxing, "So what are you here at court for, Elisbeth?" She looked intently at the girl. Maybe, just maybe, she'd made a friend? An aquaintence, at least.

((Argh, sorry for the delay!))

Elisbeth shrugged. "Why does any noblewoman come to court?" Then she winced. That sounded terrible. As a squire, Rean must be a noblewoman herself, and yet she was not here fresh from the convent, or looking for a husband. Now she'll think I'm old-fashioned, at best...horribly rude, at worst... She was silent for a moment, trying to think of a way to amend her statement. "I mean... I'm here to find a husband, I suppose. It's probably not as...productive as training for knighthood, really, but I don't think I'm cut out for that."

She bit her lip, hoping that Rean wasn't offended. The other girl really wasn't like any of her friends among the other noblewomen, whose every comment seemed designed to further their own ends. Certainly her attitude didn't seem feigned, as was with the case with most of Elisbeth's other acquaintances at court. And, Elisbeth thought, it was nice not to have to examine every word for some hidden meaning or insult, and need to respond in kind. Perhaps physically, she was not cut out to be a squire, but socially, ti seemed as if it would be a nice change.

Damien whistled a song as he swaggered passed the library doors, as soon as he passed the doors he stopped whistling and backup. He stopped when he was right in the middle of the doors turning to look at the doors with a confused look on his face. His eyes darted to look down both ends of the hallway, he didn’t see anyone, too make sure he leaned back just a bit and looked again. He straightened up and then shrugged and opened the doors, he walked in and took a quick look around giving out a long whistle that signified amazement, “I do not remember there being this many books when I was a page,” he shrugged again and went searching for the biography section, whistling the song as he went.

Rean nodded, and hid her grin. "Well, I'm sure you'll get one soon. You're extremely pretty." She said honestly. 'They must do things so differently. People insult me by saying I'm here to find a husband.'

She had her attention drawn away for a moment by another squire entering the library.

She didn't let Elizabeth know her mind had wandered, so she smiled, and asked, "So, when did you come to court?"

OOC: Sorry it's so short, we have to go pick up my dad.

((It's fine.))

Elisbeth shrugged at Rean's first comment. "There are some who would say otherwise," she replied. Her eyes flickered to the side at the sound of whistling, made loud by the library's quietness. She did not have time to see who had entered the room; Rean was speaking again.

"I've only been here for two weeks...well, almost two weeks. So I suppose I'm new here. What about you?" She jumped as the person who had just come in made some comment about the number of books. She wondered if she could manage turning around and looking at them without appearing rude to Rean.

She wondered if Rean had noticed her jump. I, she thought, rather annoyed, am very twitchy today.

Damien looked down an aisle and saw two females in it, he gave a little smile as he looked around, "well what do you know," he thought to himself, "this is the aisle i need." He walked down the aisle a little and realized who the one girl was, another squire, Rean of Laurayes, if he remembered correctly, was a year ahead of him. He looked at the other girl, recognizing her as viewer at the practice courts and a newcomer to court.
He smiled as he reached the girls, gave a swift bow to both of them, "Ladies," he started, "it's a pleasure to great you on such fine of an evening...," he looked around quickly as he continued, "...in the historical biography section of the royal library," with a small crooked grin on his face he finished, "I'm Damien of Seajen."

Rean thought for a moment, before replying, "I've been here about 7 years. Page to squire. And I'll soon be a knight." She frowned, then added, "Well, I hope." She smilied tightly. She was worried about the Ordeal she faced. She didn't like giving up. Ever. And she'd heard it was either that or breaking in there. Rean didn't like the sound of that. Hearing a man's voice, she turned to face him. She smiled swiftly. It was Damien of Seajen, if she wasn't mistaken. He was also a squire. She shifted her weight so that she was leaning against the table behind her. "So I've heard." Her eyes twinkled. "I'm Rean." She thought, then added, "Of Laraes." She almost laughed at herself. She could be so strange sometimes.

Damien gave a small laugh, "Really?" he asked, "are you sure your not someone else?" He gave a small laugh and then tried to be serious but couldn't hold back the smile that lit up his face a few seconds later. He glanced at the other girl, " and who may I ask is your friend?"

Elisbeth had opened her mouth, about to make some polite reply to Rean's comment, when the newcomer started speaking again. Another squire, one that looked vaguely familiar... She thought he might be the one that Brietta had made such a fuss about at the practice courts the day before. "I'm Elisbeth of Irenroha," she said, answering the question quickly even though it had been meant for Rean. She hoped the other girl wasn't offended. "And it's good to meet you," she added, the automatic courtesy that had been hammered into her since early childhood taking hold. She curtsied deeply.

Damien piered closely at Elisabeth, "Have I seen you before?" he asked a puzzled look on his face, "Maybe at the practice courts?" a look of realization grew on his face, "with some other girl, just the other day right?"

Ever since her first series of sneaky visits to the library, Livia had grown more and more bold in her daring visits that completely disrupted protocol for servants. Oh, well. It wasn't like she was exactly an ordinary commoner.

She added and subtracted in her head, figuring out that she had ten minutes before she had to hurry back to the infirmary.

The door creaked as it opened, a noise that almost always frightened Livia out of her wits. She saw a small group talking. She recognized Rean of Laraes and Damien of Seajen, and a noblewoman, Elisabeth of Somewhere that Starts in an I. Hopefully, they wouldn't notice her too much. She slipped down the War aisle. She replaced books on the shelves, grabbed a few, and hoped that she wouldn't be immediately recognized.