The Icy Quest

Chapter 11

"GET UP!" Tilepátheia yelled, startling Pagoniá awake.

"Was that really necessary?" Pagoniá grumbled sleepily. "I was sleeping."

"Didn't know, didn't care," Tilepátheia responded, shrugging. "I was bored, so I got you up. Now we can do something."

"Well, I am going back to bed unless you find something I want to do more right now," Pagoniá decided firmly. She rolled over to get in a more comfortable position and closed her eyes.

"Well, I was thinking about going to the snow room," Tilepátheia suggested. "Playing in the snow might be fun."

"Maybe," Pagoniá considered, opening her eyes. "But I really want to read. I need to get caught up on the history of the ice people."

"Fine, you go read your boring history. I'm gonna have fun," Tilepátheia retorted, leaving the room. Pagoniá stretched and got to her feet. She walked over to the closet and looked at outfits. After some deliberation, she settled on a plain blue dress. It was one of the only outfits in the closet that would allow her to run or be active. She went to the dressing room and changed. Then, she walked out the door and spotted a servant.

"Will you please show me where the library is?" she asked politely. "I would like to do some reading."

"Of course, your highness," the servant responded with a curtsy. "The royal library is this way," she explained, leading Pagoniá down the hallway.

"Thank you, but please just call me Pagoniá," Pagoniá said with a smile.

"I appreciate your kindness, but I must obey the queen. You are royalty, and you must be treated as such," the servant apologized.

"Maybe you could call me Princess Pagoniá," Pagoniá proposed. "That's technically still a royal title."

"I'm certain the queen would be able to live with that," the servant agreed. "Good idea, Princess Pagoniá."

They walked down a hallway until they reached a pair of large oak doors. The servant opened the doors and stepped aside.

"This is the library," the servant explained. "I will be right outside if you need me." Pagoniá slowly stepped in, her eyes widening as she glanced around the enormous domed room.

"It's incredible," she breathed, wondering at the amount of time it must have taken to construct such a masterpiece. Each section of the library had its own custom design, with swirling snowflakes everywhere.

In the center of the library was a polished wooden desk with an old woman seated behind it. Pagoniá assumed she must be the librarian.

"Where do all these books come from?" Pagoniá asked. "You have no contact with the fire people, so they can't come from there."

"These books are imported from all over the world," the librarian answered. "Scholars among the ice people also submit their own written works to be included in the collection."

Pagoniá wandered around the library for a while scanning random book titles. Eventually she stopped to take a closer look at a book titled History of the Ice People.

She pulled the book off of the shelf and brought it back to the front desk.

"Excuse me, but could you please tell me how I can get a library card?" she asked politely. "I would like to check out a book."

"I already have one for you," the librarian replied as she handed Pagoniá the card. "I made it for you while you were browsing the library." Pagoniá handed the book to her, and she quickly scanned it and handed it back.

"The book is due in a week," the librarian informed her as she turned to leave. Pagoniá strode out of the library. She had made sure to memorize the turns she had taken on the way to the library to make sure she could find her way back to her suite. Minutes later, she arrived at her door, feeling pleased with her navigating success. Finding a comfy chair in the sitting room, she sat down and began reading.

---

Pagoniá likes reading as much as I do! Please comment and vote!