TELOS TOU KOSMOU // Callahan X Reader

9

It didn't take you long to prepare and sort the herbs that you had brought back from the patch, a combination of Ceres humming and small talk keeping your mind busy while your hands worked. It also wasn't long before Ceres was stifling yawns, the warm sunlight streaming through the window causing their eyes to drift shut.

You let them doze off in peace. You weren't worried about symptoms all that much yet - they had only complained of a slight headache, so far - and you were wanting an excuse to go off and find the caesar's library anyway. The Agatheia was calling you - and a whatever medical references were there would be helpful in starting this cure.

With some directions from a friendly guard, you found yourself making the journey to the east wing of the palace, looking for a pair of double doors with the eyes of Logios engraved into the wood.

As you walked, you couldn't help but notice that although subtle, the palace seemed off. There were more torch sconces in the walls than there were torches. Even though you had made the trek across the palace, you had run into only a few staff members. You had assumed the caesar had been mostly unaffected by the plight on the city, but looking at things now, that wasn't the case.

You found the library doors without much trouble - they were even more striking than the doors to the room you were staying in with Ceres. Each door bore one of Logios' eyes, the wood inlaid with mirrored glass to capture the omnipotence they were said to possess. They looked an awful lot like Ceres eyes to you - but then again, the gladiator had been blessed by Logios.

The doors opened without trouble, and you walked right in, finding yourself standing between long shelves filled with books and scrolls - some obviously used more often than others. Tall windows were visible through the shelves, letting the morning light illuminate the dust motes floating in the air.

Perhaps this was the one place in the city that hadn't been touched by it's descent.

You began to peruse the shelves, trying to get a feel for where what you were looking for would be. You passed journals and histories, took a right turn at the large collection of cookbooks, and strode past the beastiaries, slowing when you started to recognize the titles of the spines and scrolls on this section of shelf.

The epics were organized by author, so it was easy for you to find Eroneous - he was right between Dyramesh and Fary'll. You finger skimmed over his other works - mostly other stories of battle, as that was what he was known for (he had tried his hand at romance, but no one liked a bitter ending) - until there, next to Hylla, was Agatheia.

You plucked the book from the shelf and tucked it under your shoulder. If Ceres was still asleep when you returned to the room, you would just leave it on their bedside table.

Agatheia secured, you ventured out into the shelves again, now in search of medicinal journals and apothecary handbooks - anything that could possibly be useful in starting to formulate a cure. You had your own knowledge, of course, but when facing a disease you knew almost nothing about besides from its affects, the wisdom of others would be much appreciated.

You found what you were looking for in the midst of surveyors journals and anatomical scrolls - a handful of apothecary manuals and medical journals from healers past. You grabbed each of them, tucking them under your arm with the Agatheia. You would have more time to actually look over them later - you were more concerned with finding everything that could be helpful at the moment.

You scanned through some of the other sections, pulling more selections from the shelves. A few gardeners handbooks joined the growing bunch in your arms, as well as some anatomical sketches you found tucked between a few tomes. You weren't picky with your picking - anything that looked like it could be useful, you pulled.

You search led you down further into the expanse of shelves in front of you, skimming over titles until you found yourself in a section that wasn't what you needed at all - languages. You were about to turn around when a certain tome caught your attention.

Unspoken Languages; The Study of Language Through Motion

Your mind darted back to the satyr that had been so kind as you offer you his patch, and the quick little motions he had made with his hands. You were sure you would run into him again - you would need to go collect herbs more than once, after all, and it would be nice to be able to thank him in his own language.

Maybe you could even ask him his name.

You weren't sure how much time you would have to actually dedicate yourself to learning all the little intricacies of an unspoken language while you were also working on a cure, but perhaps... little bits of time here and there. Before you went to bed, maybe, or while you were taking your meals. It would be nice to have something else to think about, rather than Ceres or the insurmountable project that was the cure. A break.

Reaching out, you grabbed the language guide and tucked it under your arm with all the others, turning back to retrace your steps to the medical books. Part of you felt a little guilty - your full attention should be on the cure, you didn't have time for other academic pursuits. But then those soft brown eyes would refresh in your memory, and your decision would solidify again.

The next time you saw him, you would like to be able to ask him his name, and when he responded, you would like to be able to understand.