The Ring Master's Fair

PART 9

The Ring Master's Fair - Part 9

The blackberry bomb exploded into sweet and sourness as Lark popped another one of the delicious fruits into her mouth.

It had been nearly 4 months since she had arrived at the palace. It became obvious to others that she was not a guest but a permanent resident, despite what the King had said at dinner that one night.

Lark was the official companion to Princess Chryste- or Chrys, as she liked to be called. Lark got her when she needed to be on time, helped her with girl problems: fashion, boys, and dealing with her cousins, Atticus and Rylan.

"Which color of roses do you like the best?" Chrys asked, holding 6 roses in each hand.

Lark set her bowl full of blackberries aside and took hold of the flowers. She smelled and examined the color of each one before deciding. "The off-white one and the crimson one," she said holding two roses separate from the others.

"Perfect!" Chrys squealed.

"What exactly is this for again?" Lark asked plopping down on the huge bed that took up most of the space in Chrys's bedroom.

Chrys gasped. "Have you really been paying no attention these past weeks? My 20th birthday is next month, and you are going to help me set it up."

"You aren't even going to be doing any work, though,"

"I will be supervising. That's enough for me."

Lark couldn't help but roll her eyes at Chrys's princess attitude. "Well your on your own for today," Lark shrugged. "I promised Erza that I would help her on the library."

Chrys wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Why would you want to spend your precious time in a room full of musty and dusty books."

"I happen to find the library peaceful and quiet. And the books can take you to another world beyond your imagination. Not to mention that you can learn amazing things that you've never thought were possible," Lark quickly got defensive over her favorite place in the whole palace.

"I mean the library is all dark and smelly. Wouldn't you rather spend your day out in the garden flirting with the fine other species of men?"

"Have you ever even been in the library?" Lark asked.

But Chrys ignored her and kept on chattering about how filthy the library was. "I mean those books are so old that they would probably break under the lightest touch!"

Lark rolled her eyes and sulked out of the bedroom. Five minutes later, she arrived at the base of the large, oakwood, library double-doors. She at first struggled to push the heavy doors open. She kept on trying until she finally managed to make it budge just enough for her to easily slip through.

The first thing Lark did when she stepped into the grand library was sneeze as the dust particles danced around, tickling the inside of her nose. Taking in a deep breath once her nose was cleared, she smelled lavender mixed with the scent of pine needles and burning maple wood. She skimmed down a few rows, until she was facing one of the four spiral staircases.

She headed up to the second floor where she knew Ezra, the elderly librarian, spent most of her time. There was also a third floor which was half full of books. And then there was the fourth floor, where no one ever went.

Lark had to admit it. Chrys was right. It really was dark. But, there is a reason for that. There are no windows. The natural light would only bleach the books, making them barely eligible.

"Ezra?" Lark called quietly. Even though they were most likely the only two here, this was still a library.

"Over here, Miss Lark," called Ezra who was clad in a stiff, russet sack dress.

"You really need to get some new glasses." Lark gestured to Ezra's thin, metal glasses that kept on slipping down the slope of her nose.

"How have you been?" Ezra inquired, batting off Lark's question with a wave of her hand.

"Alright," Lark shrugged. "In need of a new book to read, though."

"Haven't you read nearly almost all the books in just your short stay here?" Ezra peered over her frames curiously.

"Maybe?" Lark said sheepishly. "But how are you?"

"I am very well, thank you, Miss Lark. And it's the same as it's always been," she replied, with a smile.

"Well, if you'll excuse me," Lark stated, as she made her way to one of the four spiral staircases, which led to the third floor.

She hummed the melody to a tune that she always heard Atticus play on the piano as she searched for a new book to read. It was difficult to find one, because as Ezra had said: Lark had read more than half the library already.

Lark closed her eyes and skimmed the shelves until she landed on a a random book. She opened her eyes, hoping that it wasn't a book that she had already read.

She was lucky. The History Of Slavery in Olilith was the book title.

A nonfiction book, something she hadn't read in a while.

Not to mention the fact that she used to be a slave back at the corn farm.

Lark flipped to a random page towards the end. Her eyes skimmed the page until her eyes landed of the words "Slavery has been illegal in Olilth for the past 100 years."

Her eyes widened in shock at those words. Slavery was illegal?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a small figure shaking her skirt.